


The Right Shade of Green

by ADCtrash



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fine Stud Anya, Fine Stud Lexa, Slow Burn, clexa au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-28 22:10:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 21,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6347569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADCtrash/pseuds/ADCtrash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke doesn't know why, but the color of her eyes mesmerizes her.</p><p>A Fine Stud Lexa and Fine Stud Anya fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She should have never come to this stupid event.

Clarke had spent a good portion of the night loathing her own self-pity while she sipped on champagne she knew she would never be able to afford. That is, unless she could sell some of her work, unlike at this opening. The Museum of Modern Artists had turned down three of her pieces she submitted for review. Somehow, though, her best friend Raven had managed to get a sculpture of hers into the museum as a main exhibit.

 _She isn’t even an artist_ , Clarke thought as she looked around the room. Raven had graduated as a mechanical engineer, but chose to work in a garage instead. At night, though, she was the mysterious graffiti artist Rey who had been tagging buildings all over the city for months. At first she had done it as a dare-Octavia had told her to paint something obscene on a politician’s billboard. From there, she had moved on to buildings, walls, even once painting half of the busiest street in the city. Sure, she had been arrested a few times while caught in the act, but that didn’t sway her.

“You’re looking kinda blue there,” Clarke could hear Raven say as she made her way over to the blonde.

“Why am I here Raven?” she asked her, finishing off her glass of champagne.

“Because even though you’re still bitter, you’re a good friend who came here to support me tonight,” she replied. She had been hesitant at inviting Clarke as her guest to the opening, but Octavia was busy with another commitment she would not tell anyone about.

Clarke sighed. She was trying to be supportive, but everywhere she looked all she saw was mediocrity. She wondered if anyone who had work in this museum had ever studied art.

She stood up from her seat and gave the empty glass to a waiter passing by. “I’m going to take a walk around so I can clear my head.”

Raven nodded, then went back to socializing. Clarke wandered down the hallway, stopping a ways away from everyone else. She started examining the painting on the wall in front of her. It depicted a scene in a park, but Clarke didn’t focus on the obvious. She examined each little piece of the picture.

“The strokes are going in all directions,” she mumbled to herself. “Looks as if a three year old painted it.”

“And the tree is in two different shades of brown, as if they ran out of paint and use whatever other hue was available.”

Clarke turned towards the mystery voice to see a young woman walking up to her. Her brown hair shimmered under the soft lighting of the gallery. She was wearing a white button down with a dark green tie tied with an intricate knot. Her black vest was still buttoned and shirt tucked into her trousers, but she had rolled up her sleeves, allowing a small part of a tattoo to show on her right arm. Clarke could tell that she reeked of money.

“Such sloppy work. Don’t know how Anya allowed this into the museum,” she continued, stopping right next to Clarke. She put her arms behind her back, her hands falling at the small of her back. She her head towards Clarke slightly, tilting it. “What do you think?”

“I can see three different brush types used, which would be great if it was done for texture, but this is totally random. Like you appearing here next to me, away from the rest of the party.”

Out of the corner of her eye Clarke could see the girl’s jaw tense, then relax. “If you want to be alone I can leave.”

“No, please,” Clarke responded a bit too quickly. There was something about the presence of the girl that eased her. She quickly cleared her throat. “I mean, I’m glad there’s someone else her that understands art.”

“I wish I could paint, I’m just good at analyzing others’ work,” she responded, turning towards Clarke and extending her hand. “I’m Lexa, by the way.”

“Clarke,” she said as she shook her hand. _God, her hands are smooth_ , Clarke thought. In the distance, she could hear someone clinking a glass.

“I should go, Anya’s probably speaking now,” Lexa said before turning on the heel of her perfectly shined shoes and striding back towards the party. Clarke couldn’t help but stare at the way her vest lined her back and the way her belt cinched her pants at just the right spot. Did she really feel something right now?

It took her a second to break out of her thoughts and rejoin the party. As she slipped into the crowd and found Raven again, the audience began applauding as another woman took to the stage. She was dressed similarly to Lexa, but still wore her jacket. She stepped up to the podium there and began speaking.

“I just wanted to quickly thank everyone that is here tonight, whether you are an artist or patron. A few special thanks though before we leave.”

 _This must be Anya_ , Clarke thought. Anya Woods was the curator and owner of the museum. She also curated the ancient histories museum downtown, but this was her first time owning one. She continued to thank patrons who had donated huge amounts to the museum just to get their names engraved on little plaques around the museum.

“And last, but certainly not least, I’d like to thank Trikru Industries and their CEO, Alexandria Woods, who is in attendance on behalf of the company tonight, for their generous gift of the land we currently sit on. Thanks again, everyone, for coming out tonight. Enjoy the food and drinks and feel free to wander around the gallery.”

As the audience applauded once again, Clarke stopped. She knew Lexa had sounded familiar, but _that_ Lexa? As in, Lexa short for Alexandria Woods, the youngest CEO at Trikru in its history? The Lexa who had doubled the net worth of the company over her short tenure? Clarke couldn’t believe she didn’t recognize the face standing next to her. It was in the paper so many times that she should have known it right away.

Clarke found herself grabbing another glass of champagne before sitting again. How could she not have made a connection?

Mid sip, she felt someone walk behind her and sit in the chair next to her. Looking over, she could see the same brown hair as before, but the jacket missing from her suit had made its way back onto her.

“You didn’t tell me you were _that_ Lexa,” Clarke said, placing her glass down on the counter.

“Do you know anyone else named Lexa?” she retorted with a smirk, grabbing her own glass and taking a small sip. Clarke found her eyes following Lexa’s throat, watching her swallow the liquid. Lexa noticed her gaze and smirked.

“Or am I the most attractive you’ve met so far?” she continued. Clarke noticed the hint of cockiness thrown in there. _Two can play at this game_ , she thought.

“Hm? Did you say something? I busy thinking of the other Lexa’s I know,” she retorted, taking another sip of champagne. She could see Lexa’s eye twitch ever so slightly. She leaned in close to Clarke’s ear and whispered.

“I can tell you though, none will ever compare to me.”

Clarke had to grab the counter to stop herself from shivering. Those words managed to slice straight through her like none had.

Lexa leaned back and finished her glass, then stood up and buttoned her jacket. “Anya’s calling, guess it’s time for us to head out. It was nice to meet you, Clarke.”

And with that Lexa had left. Clarke watched her walk over to where Anya was waiting and the two of them headed outside, where a limo was waiting for them. Figures.

Clarke turned to find Raven coming back over to her.

“So, I see you started getting friendly with Lexa there. Thinking of sleeping with her already?” Raven grinned.

“Hey, I’m not like you. I actually get to know people before they end up in my bed.”

Clarke stood and followed Raven over to the coat room. She pulled on her coat and buttoned it up before sticking her hands in her pockets. She wasn’t expecting the crinkle of paper in there.

 _I didn’t have anything in this pocket when I came here_ , she thought, pulling out a small strip. On it was a phone number and a small note.

_Call me. -L_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya and Raven discuss last night's party over lunch

Raven woke up the next day to a set of five texts on her phone, all from Anya. When they started seeing each other a few months ago, they hadn’t talked much, since most of their encounters ended with them naked together in bed, but now they had become a move civil pair. Raven usually stayed at the apartment she shared with Clarke and Anya lived in her apartment downtown.

The first text was thanking her for attending the previous night. The second was telling her how many people loved her sculpture. To be honest, it was really just scrap metal bent and welded together in random spots. It was a hobby project, not artwork. She felt bad that the piece of shit she made had been placed in the museum instead of one of Clarke’s many paintings. They were scattered around the apartment and the small loft above them that Clarke owned and used as her studio.

The third, fourth, and fifth all had to do with the previous night’s artwork. The first two were pictures of the side of a local mini mart, where Raven had painted another scene. This one was a path running through a forest, where the path led to the sunrise. The fifth was only one word.

_Yours?_

She smiled. By now Anya could tell what was and wasn’t hers, even when she didn’t sign her work. She shot back a quick _yes_ before rolling over and glancing at the alarm clock. She still had another ten minutes until her alarm, but she didn’t even bother. Reaching over, she switched the alarm setting off and rolled out of bed, throwing a pair of sweatpants on over her panties and walked out into the kitchen. She could see Clarke sitting in the living room in front of another canvas.

“Still working?” Raven yawned as she poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot that Clarke had brewed earlier.

“Mm,” she could her Clarke hum, a paintbrush hanging out of the corner of her mouth as one hand worked over the canvas. She had an interesting style, but it worked. All of the paintings around the room were museum worthy. Raven almost felt bad that Clarke had been rejected so many times.

“You know, most of the stuff in the museum last night was shit. Yours definitely should have been in there.”

Clarke had taken the brush from her mouth and dipped it into the palette held by her other hand before beginning her strokes over the canvas again. “Why don’t you talk to your girlfriend about that instead of silencing her with your mouth next time you two meet up?”

“Hey, at least I’m getting some action. When’s the last time you got laid? Finn?”

Clarke cringed at the name of her ex. Some regrets were better left alone.

“I haven’t found the right person yet,” she said, sticking her tongue out of the corner of her mouth as she carefully filled in a small part of the canvas.

“Yeah, sure,” Raven said as she heard her phone buzz on the counter. Another text from Anya.

_On break in 5. Want lunch?_

Raven smiled and replied, _Breakfast, technically, but yeah._

~

“The turnout last night was good.”

Raven nodded while chewing on a bite of sandwich. Across the table, Anya sipped her latte and loosened her tie slightly. She picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth before responding.

“How did you choose the artwork to go in the gallery?”

“There was a separate committee that reviewed all submissions. They gave me the final list and I signed off on it, before adding a few of my own piece. Why?”

Raven took a sip of lemonade. “My roommate’s a talented artist but all three of her submissions got snubbed. I felt bad, she has some amazing work. It’s all over the apartment.”

“Hm,” Anya thought for a second. “I could always schedule her an appointment to take a look at her pieces myself.”

“Really? She’d love that,” Raven smiled, finishing off what she had left of her sandwich.

“Think of it as a favor,” she smiled in return, “that you’ll pay off eventually.”

“Oh? And how shall I be paying you back for this one?”

Anya stood, putting her jacket back on. “I have to head back. We still on for dinner tonight?”

“Yep. 7 o’clock sharp,” Raven said, standing and throwing out her trash before grabbing her coat. Anya walked by, placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

“See you then. Stay out of trouble this afternoon.”

Raven couldn’t help but smirk as she heard the bell signal the open and close of the door while Anya hopped back into her Audi and drove back to the museum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thanks to everyone's kudos and comments. I do keep track of all those and I read the comments too. I'm glad you're really liking this so far.
> 
> Second, I don't really have a schedule as to when I post chapters. Currently I have the first 5 written out but depending on my schedule I don't know how long it'll take to write other ones. Your best bet is to head on over to my tumblr ( @iamalexarkslut ) and watch for updates. I'll try to post on there when I do update the chapter.
> 
> Third, I'm sorry that this chapter is kinda short. Chapter 3 will be kinda short too. It's just how this is flowing in my head right now. It will pick up by chapters 4 and 5.
> 
> Fourth, we won the Zimbio poll AND Zimbio is donating $1000 to the Trevor Project! Woo!
> 
> Thanks for reading guys. Leave a comment or kudos or something if you liked it.
> 
> ~ADCT


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke finally talks to Lexa after a difficult morning in the world of the troubled artist

Clarke had gone through three canvases that day, but none had come out the way she wanted. Every time she thought she was close all she could see was green. The same green of a tie that matched her eyes last night. None of the paints she owned could do that green justice. She had tried mixing different hues, but none were working. After her tenth try, she gave up. She washed the paint off her arms and hands and began cleaning up the living room when she saw the slip of paper from last night. Picking it up, she reached for her phone and opened up a new text feed.

_How did you know this was my coat?_

Once she had rolled up the plastic sheeting, she heard the wind chime tone signaling a response. Picking up her phone, she saw two messages, both from Lexa.

_I have eyes everywhere._

_I thought I told you to call? You took much longer than I thought you would._

Clarke couldn’t help but smile. The cocky tone of her voice came through even in a simple sentence.

 _Too much effort to call. I was busy with a thing called life all morning_ , she shot back. She tossed her phone onto the couch before grabbing all her supplies and heading out the door and towards the staircase. Carefully, she made her way blindly up the stairs to the door before dropping everything and fishing into her pocket for the key to the studio. Unlocking the door, she piled everything back in the room before locking up again and heading back downstairs. She found the door slightly ajar and Raven lounging on the couch.

“Oh good, you didn’t go far. You have 2 missed calls,” she said, tossing the phone to Clarke. Unlocking it, she could see Lexa’s number pop up for the third time. She answered it while walking into her room.

“Didn’t I say that this was too much effort?”

“ _A hello would have been nice_.”

Clarke rolled her eyes. “Fine. Hello, how are you? How have you been since last night?”

“ _Now, that was a very snippy tone. Someone sounds angry_.”

“I’ve been busy,” she said while holding the phone between her ear and shoulder. She slipped out of the paint-stained jeans she was wearing and into a pair of sweatpants.

“ _Too busy to call me? Now I’m sad._ ”

She smirked at the sarcasm. “What do you want Lexa?”

“ _Well, straight to the point are we? I was wondering if you were free tonight. I already know Raven has dinner with Anya, and I was wondering if you’d like to do the same._ ”

“Asking me out already? We’ve only just met,” she said, throwing the phone on speaker before stripping off her t-shirt and grabbing another clean one.

“ _Be ready at 7. I’ll pick you up._ ”

“How do you know where to go?”

“ _I’ll get the address from Anya_.”

Of course. Clarke had forgotten about Raven’s girlfriend.

“Where are we going?”

“ _Where would you like to go?_ ”

“Depends. Are you paying?” She could practically hear Lexa smirk on the other end.

“ _Dress up. I’ll be by at 7._ ”

Clarke could hear the phone beep as Lexa hung up at her end. She slid the phone into her pocket and walked back out into the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing a bunch of grapes.

“Ooo, someone’s got a date tonight,” she could hear Raven tease from the couch. Looking through the doorway, Clarke threw a grape at her.

“Fuck off. You had one first.”

“Someone’s in a bad mood. Couldn’t finish your artwork from this morning?” she said, sitting up on the couch.

“None of the colors were right. I scrapped them.”

“You’ll figure out something. By the way, if you ever do, let me know. I talked with Anya at lunch and she said if you want to, she’ll schedule an appointment to meet with you personally and look over your pieces.”

“That’s if I can make anymore. I had to scrap three of them today, not counting the rest from this week.” Clarke had to admit she was in the middle of dry spell in more ways than one. She hadn’t been able to turn out any good pieces in weeks. The last good one was her third submission to the museum, which had been turned down like all the rest.

“Hey, like I said, you’ll figure it out.”

Clarke plopped herself down in one of the chairs in the living room, staring blankly at whatever trashy show Raven had turned on. She hated her taste in TV, but it didn’t bother her right now. After only a few minutes, she stood up.

“I should probably take a nap. I woke up too early this morning.”

“And you’re going to need a lot of energy for the extracurricular activity tonight,” Raven chimed in as Clarke headed back into the kitchen.

Of course, not before she stuck her hand back through the doorway to flip her roommate off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, another short chapter, but next one will be longer because it's date night for both couples <3 <3 <3
> 
> Again, drop a comment if you wish. Kudos if you like
> 
> (Shameless self promoting) Follow me on tumblr. @iamalexarkslut . Message me. Say something, I'm lonely.
> 
> Don't know when the next chapter will be up. I will post on tumblr every time a new chapter goes up.
> 
> Thanks guys and gals
> 
> -ADCT


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date night for both couples <3

Raven sat at the bar of the restaurant, tapping her fingers on the counter and glancing at her watch. 7:01. _Anya's never late_ , she thought, sipping at the glass of wine she already ordered. As she placed the glass back down on the little square napkin, she felt a hand skim across her back and lips plant a quick kiss on her cheek.

"I am so sorry. A visitor caught me on the way out tonight and got into a whole conversation that I really didn't listen to," Anya said as she slid into the seat next to Raven. The bartender had already poured her a glass of the same wine and placed it down in front of her.

"I was getting worried there," Raven said, a smile poking through on her lips.

"Did you think I wouldn't show? We have not missed a date night since we actually started dating," she replied, sipping the wine.

"Not one. Shall we move to our table?" Raven asked, standing and grabbing her purse and glass. Anya followed as the host led them to their reserved table in the back. The waiter came over and took their orders, which were the same every week.

"So, I saw your roommate speaking to Lexa last night," Anya started.

"She said it was nothing, but it's never nothing with Clarke. I'm getting ready to take bets on how long it'll be before they sleep together."

"Might want to hold off on that. Lexa's hard to crack. She's still reeling over the whole Costia breakup."

Raven nodded at the mention of Lexa's multimillion dollar ex. She had gone on a business trip to Europe and "disappeared," only to send Lexa a letter the next week telling her where to send all of her stuff that was still in Lexa's house. Raven remembered Anya cancelling their weekly date (the only time they allowed a missed date) because she was spending a few nights with Lexa to comfort her.

"Did you extend my offer to Clarke?" Anya asked, pulling Raven out of her thoughts.

"Yeah. She appreciates it, but she's going through a slump right now, so don't expect any appointments anytime soon."

Anya sighed. "I went back through all the submissions. I have no clue why the committee turned down her pieces. They were beautiful. I would have put them up today, but it said they were returned to her."

"They might still be up in her studio," Raven mentioned as plates of food were set down in front of them and the glasses refilled.

While eating, Anya paused for a second, wiping her mouth. "Lexa said she had a date tonight. Was it with Clarke?"

"Oh, right. Forgot about that. I hope she woke up in time."

~An hour earlier~

_Shit, I'm not going to be ready._

Clarke glanced at the clock on her bedside table as she emerged from the shower wrapped in only a towel. It was already 6:50. Lexa would be here in 10 minutes and she was completely naked with soaking wet hair. There was no way.

Pulling on her panties, she made her way back into the bathroom to brush her teeth and attempt to dry her hair. She had just turned the hairdryer on when she could hear the buzz of the doorbell.

_Shit._

Once she had dried out most of her hair and tamed it, she ran back into the room to grab her phone, planning on texting Lexa, but her number was already calling.

"You're early," Clarke said, pulling the dress out of her closet.

" _Sorry, did I wake you?_ "

"No. I'll be down in a second."

" _I'm outside your apartment door._ "

Clarke froze, the dress falling on her shoulders. "How did you get up here?"

" _I know the doorman. Take your time._ "

Lexa hung up as Clarke's mouth fell open slightly. She quickly zippered the dress and walked to the door, peering through the eyehole. Sure enough, Lexa was leaning against the railing, her jacket draped over her arm. She was fiddling with one of her cufflinks when Clarke opened to door, her green eyes snapping up to meet blue.

"You can come inside if you like."

Lexa stood up and adjusted her vest, this one navy blue, then stepped inside the doorway. Clarke closed the door behind her and padded back to her room, heading back into the bathroom to do her makeup. Lexa found herself wandering around, looking at the canvases that scattered the living room. Some depicted city skylines at various times of the day, but one caught her eye. It was a night scene, the buildings almost black against the dark sky. Except one. The very top floor of the tallest skyscraper had a light shining through. Lexa gazed over to the large windows on the other side of the living room, looking out at the exact same skyline, and saw the tall building.

Her building. With her office on the uppermost floor.

She could hear Clarke's heels on the hard floor behind her.

"These are beautiful," Lexa said, turning to meet her gaze.

"Thanks. They're my favorites. I could never part with them."

Lexa nodded, not mentioning the connection she just made. She threw her jacket back on over her shoulders. "Are you ready?"

Clarke nodded. "Where are we going?"

"It's a favorite of mine. I think you'll like it there."

Lexa walked over and opened the door for Clarke as Clarke grabbed her bag and jacket before heading out the door and down the stairs. As the doorman opened the door for them (and nodded at Lexa), Clarke could see the black Porsche sitting outside the door.

"Trying to show off?" She asked as Lexa opened the passenger door for her.

"I prefer to drive myself around instead of being driven," she said as Clarke climbed in. She shut the door and walked around to her side, climbing in.

"This is nice," Clarke mentioned. Lexa held up a finger quickly before turning towards the dashboard.

"Porsche, start," she said. The car roared to life as the dashboard blinked and lit up.

"Voice activated?" Clarke gasped. This kind of tech wasn't available in the American markets yet.

"Birthday present from Anya. Newest model overseas. They're preparing it for the US market as we speak, but we imported this one. It's a hybrid model too, so it gets about 30 miles per gallon plus another 100 miles on a full charge."

Clarke was mesmerized by the way Lexa could talk about the car. She hadn't even noticed that they had already left the street and were heading downtown.

Before long, Lexa pulled up curbside to a restaurant before stepping out and coming around to Clarke's side, opening her door. She tossed a small key to the guy working valet before offering her arm to Clarke, who happily accepted it. She led them inside, where the host greeted them.

"Ah, Miss Woods, welcome back. Table for two still?"

"Yes please."

He led them through the restaurant and off to the side, where a table was already set with wine and candles. Lexa walked over and pulled out Clarke's chair, carefully helping her slide back in towards the table. She herself sat across from her, opening the bottle of wine and pouring two glasses.

"So, Lexa, I need to ask. You and Anya have the same last name. Are you two related?"

She nodded, finishing the sip of her drink before placing the glass back on the table. "My stepsister. I owe most of my success to her."

Clarke cocked her head to the side. "How so?"

"It's a long story."

"We have time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again guys and gals, thanks for reading.
> 
> Notifications of chapter postings will always be on my tumblr ( @iamalexarkslut )
> 
> Send me messages on there, or just comment here. If you notice, I do read and answer almost every comment I get, so don't be afraid to leave your feelings and thoughts.
> 
> Next chapter will be posted...sometime ;)
> 
> -ADCT


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback to younger days...

~Flashback: 15 years ago~

"Daddy, why do I have to wear a dress?"

"Lexa, sweetheart, I already told you."

Little 10-year-old Lexa pouted at the idea of having to wear a dress. She knew that her father was getting married to Anya's mother, which would mean that Anya would finally be her sister. The girl was older that she was and Lexa looked up to her for everything. Ever since her father began dating Anya's mother, the older girl seemed to take Lexa under her wing.

As she continued pouting, 15-year-old Anya peeked into the room as she finished tying the tie around her neck.

"You know, I might have some of my dress clothes from when I was younger. She might fit in those," she said smiling.

Lexa's father looked over, but shook his head with a smile. Lexa was already jumping up and down.

"Please Daddy? Please please please please-"

"Alright fine. Go get dressed."

Lexa squealed and hugged him before running off to Anya's room. The girl followed behind after adjusting the knot. She went straight to her closet and began rummaging through the clothing before pulling out a white shirt and black trousers and handing them to Lexa.

"Here, put these on. I'll get you a belt and tie."

Anya's style was different from other girls, but it worked for her. Lexa was so attached to her that she wished she could dress like her and pull it off as flawlessly as she did. As she finished buttoning the shirt Anya came back over, holding a few ties in her hand. She took her other hand and held Lexa's chin up, testing each tie. The last one she held up made her eyes light up.

"This one, definitely. It's the same color as your eyes."

She placed it down on the bed before returning to the tie rack to replace the other ties. Lexa finished getting dressed and held up the tie.

"How do I tie this?"

Anya chuckled and walked back over to her. Grabbing the tie, she used her other hand to pop up Lexa's collar and slid the tie around her neck.

"How do you want to tie it?"

Lexa thought for a moment, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth. "Like yours."

"Good choice. Windsor knot is always a good fallback. I'll teach you how to tie different knots eventually," she said as she began the folds of the knot. She tightened it just enough and fixed Lexa's collar, stepping back.

"There, just like a mini me," Anya smiled. She handed the belt and socks to Lexa, who quickly pulled them on. Anya pulled out the last few pieces, the shoes and jacket, while Lexa's father walked in.

"You two almost ready? We have to get going," he said. He smiled when he saw Lexa stand up and turn towards him. "You're looking sharp."

Anya chuckled as she pulled on her own jacket and buttoned it. Lexa did the same, but Anya stopped her.

"You need to know the button rules. This jacket has two buttons, so only button the top one while standing. When you sit down, unbutton it, and when you stand, button it again," she explained, undoing the second button Lexa had already secured. She took a step back and looked her over.

Lexa was smiling from ear to ear. She was finally able to dress like Anya and pull it off like she always dreamed. Now that she found she could, there was no turning back.

 

~Present Day~

Clarke could not stop herself from giggling. She could picture a tiny Lexa bouncing around in a small jacket and tie while a small smile found its way to Lexa's lips.

"Find the story amusing?" She asked, sipping at the third glass of wine. They had just ordered food finally but the wine kept flowing. Clarke could begin to feel a small buzz from it, which only enhanced her giggling. Lexa found herself still smiling at her laugh.

"I can imagine a mini you running around in an oversized jacket pretending to be all big and mighty."

"Hey, that stuff wasn't that big on me. Sure, it wasn't tailored to me, but it fit well enough for a last minute thing."

Clarke giggled even more, causing her to hiccup. Lexa caught herself before she began laughing a bit too loud, suppressing the noise as their food arrived at the table. They both settled down before starting to eat.

More small talk happened during the meal, but all Clarke could focus on was Lexa. Her smile was intoxicating. She felt like she was drunk off of her, not the wine. Her smile, her eyes...her eyes. There was something about the color of them that drew Clarke in almost instantly. Clarke snapped out of her little daydream to find those eyes looking straight back into her blue ones.

"You okay?" Lexa asked, wiping her mouth and setting the napkin back down on the table.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you finished?"

"Yes, but take your time. There's no rush."

 _That damn smile_ , Clarke thought as Lexa punctuated her sentence with the corners of her mouth turning up. She looked down at her plate and noticed how little she had ate. She quickly finished what she could before setting the silverware down and picking up her napkin.

"It was delicious," she said.

"I'm glad you liked it. I come here quite often, sometimes by myself, sometimes with clients. This is the first time I've taken someone on a date here though."

"So this is a date now?" Clarke raised an eyebrow, a little smirk popping through.

Lexa stood, offering her hand to Clarke again. "Ready to go?"

"Are you going to pay first?"

"They have my tabs here. I usually pay once a month. Whenever I make a reservation I just tell them personal or business so they put it on the correct account."

"Oh, right," Clarke said, taking her hand and standing. "Where are we going now?"

"Wherever you'd like. I don't have to bring you home just yet. Raven doesn't have a curfew on you, does she?"

Clarke smiled at the joke. "No, but surprise me. Show me something."

Lexa nodded and led her back outside to the car. "Well, I've already seen your apartment, why not come see mine?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked writing the flashback, more so imagining little Lexa
> 
> Like I said last time, drop a comment or message me on tumblr. Whatever floats your boat.
> 
> It looks like I'll (tentatively) be posting once a day, but don't hold me to that
> 
> Thanks guys/gals
> 
> -ADCT


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke finally gets to see where the amazing Lexa lives...plus a cliffhanger!

Clarke couldn't believe how big Lexa's apartment was. It was one of those penthouse-style ones that took up the entire floor, even if that floor was on the 20th story. The view from the floor-to-ceiling windows was amazing, even at this time of night. Clarke couldn’t seem to pull herself away.

"Enjoying the view?" Lexa asked as she joined her, handing off a wine glass to her. They had agreed to open up one more when they got to the apartment. Lexa had already gone ahead and loosened her tie, also rolling up her sleeves, revealing that bottom edge of the tattoo Clarke had seen.

"What's that a tattoo of?" She said, pointing to Lexa's arm.

"It's a design I got a while ago," she said sipping her glass. Clarke could tell she didn't want to talk about that, so instead she took a sip of her own.

Lexa walked away from the window and took a seat on the white couch in the living room. Clarke wasn't a fan of the color scheme because, well, there was no color. The walls were white, the couch and recliners were white, and what she had seen of the kitchen was an off white color. Clarke's inner artist screamed at the lack of personality in the room, but yet it seemed so Lexa. At least, what Clarke knew of Lexa so far. Reserved, collected. _Smooth._

"Are you going to stand there all night or would you like to join me?" Lexa called out to Clarke, who had been caught up in her thoughts.

"Oh, sorry," she said, walking over and sitting on one of the recliners.

"So, now that we've gotten over the first date, why don't we just talk?" Lexa started, setting her wine glass down on a coaster.

"What do you want to talk about?" Clarke said, sipping hers.

"Well, tell me about yourself. You know a bit about my backstory but I know almost nothing about you, other than what Raven's told Anya," she said, reclining back and folding her hands in her lap.

Clarke raised an eyebrow, wondering what secrets Raven had spilled, but obliged. "There's not much about me really. Mom's a surgeon over at the central hospital, dad died when I was 16. Ended up going to Columbia because mom wanted me to be a biology major then go to med school, but I switched into their art program and didn't tell her until senior year. She was only mildly upset, but it didn't matter. Raven and I were roommates freshman year, but she transferred to some tech school. We stayed in touch and ended up getting the apartment together when we heard we would be working in the same area. What about you?"

Lexa watched her carefully, listening to everything she said. "Not much with me. Mom died when I was young. Dad married Anya's dad and she and her mom took on our last name. Graduated high school a year early, graduated with my bachelors from Cornell two years early from me taking every summer course I could. Got my masters from Harvard right before dad died, so I took over the company right out of college and have been working ever since."

"Wow," Clarke replied, finishing her glass. "Seems like a lot there."

Lexa shrugged. "It's my life. There's not much else to it."

Clarke stood up again. "I'm going to head to the bathroom quickly."

Lexa nodded. "Down that hall, last door on the left."

Clarke's heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she followed the hallway down. As she was about to turn into the bathroom, she saw the door at the end of the hall slightly ajar. Her curiosity got the best of her as she took a few more steps and gently pushed the door open.

Inside was the master bedroom, but Clarke was stunned at the explosion of color in the room. Not just color, though, but a scene. The walls were all painted with trees and bushes, the ceiling painted like a canopy. The wood floor matched the earthy brown of a dirt path. The room was a scene by itself, but the bed was amazing. The headboard was intricately carved into what looked like an old wardrobe door. Clarke had never seen anything like it. She slowly walked over and ran a hand down the wood, tracing the lines and curves down to the bedside table. On it sat a small picture frame that Clarke picked up. Lexa was in the picture, hugging another blonde girl. From behind her, Clarke could hear someone clearing their throat. Turning, she found Lexa leaning against the doorway.

"Get lost?" She asked, looking at Clarke.

She held up the picture. "Who’s this?"

"My ex, Costia," Lexa said as she walked over and took the frame from Clarke. "She was from a multi-million dollar family. I thought we were happy together, until she went on a business trip to Europe. I lost contact with her and had no clue what happened until I received a letter telling me to pack up her stuff and drop it off at her house. I haven't seen or heard from her since."

"I'm so sorry," Clarke said, reaching out to touch her arm. Her hand touched the skin of her forearm, her thumb rubbing gently.

"It's okay. I realized my mistakes," Lexa said, placing the frame back on the table. "Here, it's getting late. Let me call my driver to bring you home."

"You're not driving?"

Lexa shook her head. "I'm starting to feel the wine and I'm not putting anyone in danger. Especially you."

Clarke smiled as Lexa reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone, quickly dialing the number and waiting.

"Hi, Gustus...yeah, I have a friend here, Miss Griffin, who needs a ride back home...yes, she lives with Miss Reyes...alright, thank you," She hung up and slipped the phone into her pocket. "He'll be here in 5 minutes. Let's go grab your stuff."

Clarke followed Lexa back out into the living room, where Lexa had already grabbed her coat and purse from the rack. She helped slide the coat onto Clarke's shoulders, then handed her the purse.

"Next time, call me," Lexa said, a small smile popping up again.

"I will," Clarke said, holding out a hand. "It was a lovely evening, Miss Woods."

Lexa reached out, but instead of shaking Clarke's hand, she grabbed the tips of her fingers and brought the hand up to her mouth, kissing her knuckles. "We'll have to do this again sometime soon, Miss Griffin."

Lexa opened the door that led into the small hallway to the elevator. Clarke walked over and pressed the button, waiting for the elevator to arrive, before climbing in. Lexa watched her until the doors had slid closed before locking her door up for the night. Before shutting the lights off, she felt the phone in her pocket vibrate. Reaching for it, she saw a text from Anya.

_Is Clarke still there?_

_No, just left. Why?_ She shot back. Almost instantly, Anya responded.

_Just got a call from the police station. Raven got arrested again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> So I know there's been several chapters of Clexa in a row, but next chapter is all Ranya! Woohoo!
> 
> But can I just say, I love Lexa's room. Of course I do, I created it. It's beautiful.
> 
> As always, drop a comment if you liked it. Come visit me on tumblr. Do whatever your little hearts desire.
> 
> -ADCT


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven's in jail? What happened now? Will Anya come to her rescue? (Of course she will because...)

Once again, Anya found herself leaning against the stone brick wall of the local jail's waiting room. She glanced up to see her girlfriend being escorted out of the back and met her eyes. She had changed after Anya dropped her off at her apartment, but she could see the paint stains on her sweatshirt and jeans. Raven's head bowed as they brought her to the front desk, where Anya walked over to meet her.

"Here are your phone, wallet, and keys, Miss Reyes. We will not be returning the spray paint, though," the receptionist said, sliding the bag that held her personal effects to her.

"That stuff was expensive," Raven mumbled. She cursed silently under her breath when Anya elbowed her in the ribs.

"Thank you. I hope we don't have to meet again under these circumstances," Anya smiled, turning away from the desk and walking towards the exit. Raven skulked after her.

Anya paused when she got outside and waited for Raven, who kept walking towards the car.

"Raven," she started, but the girl had already made her way over to the door, finding it to be locked.

"This is the third time this month," Anya said, walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder. Raven shrugged it off.

"Are you going to open the door or do you expect me to walk home now?" She asked curtly.

"Please, don't be like this. I just want to talk."

Raven turned and looked up at her.

"About what? Are you just going to scold me like a child? 'You shouldn’t be doing this Raven. You should channel your energy into something more productive and helpful.' Bullshit. I enjoy doing this. I love going against the establishment, and nothing you say is going to stop me," Raven snapped back at her. Anya could see the fire in her eyes as she spit the words out.

"I wasn't going to," Anya said quietly, watching Raven's face soften. "I'm just worried about you. I don't want any of this to escalate. I can only bail you out so many times before they really lock you away, and that would kill me."

Raven looked down, kicking a small rock with her shoe. She knew the truth, it was only a matter of time before she'd be in more trouble than Anya could bail her out from, but the rush, the adrenaline, kept pulling her back. Anya reached over and took her hand.

"I have a present for you," she said, running her thumb over her knuckles.

Raven looked up at her, seeing the smile on her face. "A present? Now?"

"It was supposed to be for your birthday, but I bought it a while ago so I could make sure that it would be ready, and it's been ready for about a month now. Do you want to go see it?"

Raven smiled for the first time since she had walked out of that cell. "Sure, let's go."

Anya pulled her keys out and unlocked the car, both of them climbing inside. She started it up and pulled out onto the empty streets. It was peaceful this time of night, of course, everybody else was sleeping. The roads were quiet as Anya drove down them, turning at certain lights before making her way outside the city to the industrial side. She pulled in front of one of the old abandoned warehouses before stopping the car and getting out, Raven following.

"You're bringing me to the middle of nowhere?" Raven asked as they walked toward the building.

Anya pulled a separate key out and unlocked the door on the side of the building. Stepping in, she flipped on the lights. Slowly, the old building awakened. Raven expected to see the entire place rusted out and decaying, but instead the inside had been redecorated. The old machinery had been pulled out and scrapped, but now had normal furniture inside. A couch and chair set were off to the side with a small

coffee table between them. A dining room set was next to a fridge, sink, and stove. Raven could see a door off to the side which led into a small bathroom.

"I thought you'd like a space to get creative in," Anya said. "They were selling this place cheap since they wanted someone to use it instead of letting it sit around as an eyesore, so I bought it and hired a few guys to spiff up the place. The furniture and stuff is here in case you get too caught up in whatever you're working on and want to crash here instead. Oh, and here's your key."

Anya fished the second key out of her pocket and handed it to Raven, who was beaming.

"So, is this technically our first place together? I mean, we both have keys," Raven joked, earning a light slap on her shoulder from Anya.

"One last thing, I know they took away whatever supplies you had on you tonight, so there's a closet stocked full for your use. Just promise me you'll keep it in here and not get in trouble again?"

Raven nodded, slipping the key into her pocket. "I should probably get back to the apartment, though. Clarke will be pissed."

"I texted Lexa after I got the call, she said Clarke had just left, so she'll probably be asleep by now."

"So I won't get my ear chewed off until morning, good."

Anya smiled and headed back towards the door. Raven followed and walked outside while Anya locked up. The two of them drove back to Raven's apartment, but Raven hesitated getting out of the car.

"You know I love you, I just don't want anything bad to happen to you," Anya said, noticing her hesitation.

"I love you too. I just need space to be free, and you let me have that most of the time," she responded before leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on her cheek before climbing out and heading upstairs. She was relieved to find all of the lights off in the apartment, knowing Clarke was asleep. She quietly slipped into her room and climbed into bed, still fully clothed, before quickly drifting off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I say the same thing every time, but thanks for reading.
> 
> Drop a comment, message me on tumblr, whatever floats your boat.
> 
> -ADCT


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after Raven's run-in with the law...  
> A Clexa lunch date...

While sitting on the couch the next morning, sketchbook in her lap, Clarke could hear Raven's alarm go off. She put the pencil currently in her hand down on the table along with her sketchbook before standing and walking to the kitchen. The pot of coffee was still hot, so she poured two mugs and placed one down on the counter. She sipped hers, watching as Raven came shuffling out of her room and grabbed the cup before making her way to her favorite chair and curling up in it. 

"How'd you sleep?" Clarke asked, slowly walking back to the couch. Raven just sipped her coffee, not responding. 

"Lexa texted me last night, after I left. You got caught again?" Clarke continued, sitting down and placing her mug on the table. 

"If you're here to try and talk me out of this, Anya already tried last night," Raven mumbled, her hood pulled up. The shadow from the hood covered a good portion of her face. 

"I've already tried that. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you. You're my best friend and I'm afraid one of these times you're going to get stuck and we can't help you." 

"Wow, you sound just like Anya did last night. Did you two talk without me knowing?" Raven spit out at her. She thought that all the tension would have disappeared after last night but Clarke was testing her patience today. 

"Raven, please," Clarke started, but Raven had already stood up. 

"No, Clarke, don't start again. If I want to go out and vandalize the entire city at night, that's my choice. You're driven to fix everything for everyone, but you can't fix this. Nothing is broken." 

With that, Raven walked away, leaving her mug on the counter. Clarke could hear her head into the bathroom and start up the shower. She sighed and sipped her own, thinking. She only wanted to help Raven, but she couldn't think of how to get through to her. 

Clarke had spent more time contemplating than she thought. When she pulled herself back to Earth, she saw Raven pulling on her backpack and heading out the door. _She must be heading to work_ , Clarke thought after looking at the time. Standing up, she walked over and grabbed Raven's mug before placing both in the sink and heading back into her room.  

She had dealt with Raven's hijinks for as long as they had been living together. She didn't get caught often, but enough that it was noticeable. Usually she was really good about it, only doing little projects so that she could be out of the area quickly to avoid these situations. Clarke had given up on trying to talk her out of her vandalism a while ago, but she couldn’t watch her roommate go through this often. 

After finishing off what dishes were in the sink, Clarke decided a shower would do her good as well. She grabbed her towel and speaker and headed into the bathroom, hooking up the Bluetooth on her phone before starting the shower up and stripping down. She climbed in, relaxing against the spray of warm water on her. Shortly after she rinsed her hair, the song playing stopped and her ringtone came on. Peeking out of the shower, she could see Lexa's name come up, so she dried off her hand and answered it, throwing it on speaker. 

"You're calling early today," she yelled out from the shower, lathering up her hair. 

" _Is that the shower I hear?_ " 

"You caught me at a bad time, I just got in." 

She could hear Lexa pause. " _Oh, sorry. I was going to ask if you wanted to get lunch, but you seem busy_." 

"When are you on break?" Clarke asked, quickly rinsing her hair and grabbing the soap. 

" _I go for lunch in 10 minutes_." 

"I'll be ready by then, if you want to still go." 

Again, pause. " _Alright. Want to meet me there?_ " 

"Where are we heading?" Clarke began rinsing off the soap suds, watching them swirl around the drain. 

" _It's a small_ _café_ _near me. I'll text you the directions._ " 

"Alright. See you then." 

She could hear Lexa hang up before her music started up again. It was interrupted by the buzz of a text on her phone. 

Clarke could not stop smiling. Why did Lexa have this effect over her? She craved every call, every text, every time they could meet up. Something about the woman kept drawing her in, even when her mind was trying to push her away. She couldn't have another Finn in her life, the pain would be too much for her. 

After getting her mind stuck yet again on those green eyes, Clarke realized how long she had been in the shower. She quickly shut off the water and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around her. It took her a few minutes to dry her hair and apply makeup before padding into her room and grabbing whatever clothing she could reach for. She quickly pulled it on before pulling up the directions on her phone. 

~ 

Clarke walked into the little corner café and looked around. Most of the patrons were local college students taking a break from classes, but she could see Lexa leaning over some paperwork at the corner table. She went over and dropped her stuff, causing Lexa to jump slightly and lookup. 

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," she said. 

Lexa smiled, collecting the papers on the table and pushing them back into the folder next to her. "Don't worry about it. My head's a bit caught up in work right now." 

Clarke sat down across from her and watched as she cleaned up her work. Her sleeves were rolled up again and her tie loosened. 

"I've been stuck in a boardroom with old men all morning. It's nice to get out her and see younger faces instead of wrinkles all day." 

Clarke found herself giggling at her. She watched as Lexa's eyes lit up at the sound, another smile poking through on her face. 

"I haven't ordered anything yet. Want me to get you something?" She said, standing up and pulling out her wallet. 

"Nothing unless you let me pay for something," Clarke responded, pulling out her own. 

"Please, it's just lunch. I got this." 

Clarke sighed. "Like dinner last night?" Lexa raised an eyebrow, but Clarke continued, giving Lexa her order. She watched her walk up to the counter, placing both orders before walking back over to the table with two coffees. Placing one in front of Clarke, she sipped hers before sitting back down. 

"Did you enjoy dinner last night?" Lexa asked, sliding the folder on the table onto the seat next to her. 

"I did. Your apartment was nice too. Kinda bland for my tastes though," Clarke said as she sipped at her coffee. Lexa acted shocked. 

"How dare you insult my color scheme. I love the white on white on off white," she said, smiling. Clarke laughed. 

"What about your room though? That was beautiful." 

Lexa shrugged. "We had a big backyard when I was growing up. I loved playing in the woods behind the house. I've always felt at home there. The first few nights I slept in the apartment after I bought it, I didn't sleep very well, so I hired someone to paint it. I sleep much better now." 

Clarke nodded, hearing the man behind the counter call Lexa's name. She stood and walked over, collecting the food before returning to the table. They both dug in, their hunger from the morning overtaking their want to communicate with each other. 

Lexa finished first and wiped her mouth with one of the little paper napkins before glancing at her watch and sighing. "I have to go. We didn't finish at the meeting this morning so they're all coming back this afternoon to close this deal." 

"Alright," Clarke said, wiping her own mouth. "When can we meet up again?" 

"I don't know. Why don't you call me and schedule a time?" Lexa smirked as she fixed her tie and rolled down her sleeves. She threw her jacket on and buttoned it before winking at Clarke and heading out the door. 

Clarke had to silently curse herself. Why did she always fall in love with the cocky ones? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again everyone, thanks for reading.  
> Also, thank you to anyone who has commented or given kudos so far, I love reading everything you guys send to me.
> 
> Check tumblr for the latest updates ( @iamalexarkslut )
> 
> -ADCT


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new night club? Woohoo!

Later that afternoon, Raven came bursting through the door of their apartment, a grin spread wide on her face.

"Did you get O's text?" She asked, seeing Clarke lounging on the couch.

She nodded. Octavia had been pretty quiet the last few months and they finally found out why. The third member of their trio had been helping her boyfriend Lincoln with his new nightclub, The Grounders. They had finished all the preparations yesterday so tonight would be their opening night with a very limited VIP list, which Octavia had persuaded Lincoln to include Raven and Clarke on.

"We'll have to head over there as soon as it opens so we can go see Octavia," Clarke said, finishing the sketch she had been working on. Since she got home from lunch, her hand would not stop sketching a certain woman in a suit. Closing the book, she stood up and walked into the kitchen.

"It opens in an hour, so I'm going to go get ready now. I had grease running down me all day and it's caught in places you don't even want to know," Raven called out as she headed towards the shower. Clarke cringed at the thought before grabbing a water bottle out of the fridge and taking a sip. Even though Raven and Anya had been going steady for quite some time, Raven always jumped on the chance to go out clubbing. She always told Clarke, "A little harmless flirting never hurt anyone."

Clarke found herself in a tough spot. Usually she enjoyed going out with Raven and Octavia and having a girls' night, watching other people get wasted, but this was different. She couldn't even focus on her own life, how would she be able to focus on anything tonight?

In her mind, she pictured Lexa out dancing like most of the young couples in the club. She would have her sleeves rolled up, the tie looser than Clarke had seen, maybe even two buttons undone on her shirt instead of one. Clarke watched in her mind as Lexa swayed to the music, the beat driving her hips. The rest of her body followed the movements, except her eyes. Those green eyes burrowed themselves into her brain. Those eyes could see every little secret Clarke held back, everything she had ever hidden away was all of a sudden pulled out for those green eyes to analyze.

Clarke blinked and shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. She found Raven standing in front of her, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Hello? You okay in there?" She called out. Clarke swatted her hand away.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You weren't responding. Thought you were having a stroke or something. Thinking about anything good in there?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about it. How much longer until we leave?"

Raven furrowed her brow at the answer, but responded. "We'll probably leave in 15 minutes or so."

Clarke nodded and walked towards her room. She made sure to close the door behind her before collapsing on the bed. Why couldn't she stop thinking about Lexa? She had been in love before, sure, but never on a level quite like this. This wasn't love-it was an _obsession_.

A soft knock on her door broke her concentration again. Raven called out from behind it.

"Almost ready to go?"

"Yeah, give me a minute," Clarke called back, standing up and walking to the closet. She hadn't expanded her wardrobe recently, so she would have to rewear something (which Octavia would notice). She decided to go to her old fallback, a tight black dress and simple pair of heels. She quickly changed into it and walked out of the room, grabbing her phone and important items from her wallet before putting everything in her wristlet before joining Raven outside the door.

"You know, O will know you've already worn that."

"Shut up."

~

As Clarke and Raven climbed out of the cab right in front of the club, the first thing they noticed was the line.

"Geez, O did a good job with advertising," Raven said as they walked up to the bouncer at the door. They showed him their IDs and waited for him to check the list before opening the door for them, eliciting several groans from the line.

Inside, the music was already blaring and the light show in full swing. People were already out on the dance floor, swaying to the beat of the music. Clarke stood there, taking in the surroundings, before she heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, you guys made it!" Octavia yelled over the noise. She of course had dressed up for the event, being in charge of advertising for opening night once they had finished preparing the club.

"O, this is fantastic!" Raven said, spinning around as the lights danced around them.

"Here, Lincoln's helping out at the bar, let's go see him," she said, pulling the two girls over to the bar. Clarke looked up and could see Lincoln wiping the counter with a rag before glancing up and waving at the girls.

"Welcome ladies, glad you could make it out here tonight. Want anything to drink to start off with? Or the usuals?" Lincoln already knew their orders by heart. Every time they held parties together at someone's house he became the unofficial bartender due to his natural skills as they said.

"So, Lincoln, if we're O's invites, who did you ask to come?" Raven said as he slid them their drinks.

"I sent the offer to my cousins. They need a break from work, so I thought they could come by and unwind a bit. Speaking of which, here they come now."

Clarke sipped her drink and turned around, but almost had to spit it back out. Lincoln's cousins walking up to the bar were none other than Anya and Lexa. Both were still dressed up from work but had kept their jackets in the car. Lexa was in the process of rolling up her sleeves when she looked up and met a familiar set of blue eyes.

"Clarke," she said. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"Neither did I," Clarke responded when she had gained her composure. "You're related to Lincoln?"

"His mother was my father's sister, so I'm directly linked. Anya's in it by marriage."

Clarke nodded. How had she not known about Lincoln's family being so close to them?

Anya had already made her way over to Raven's side, ordering her drink.

"Hey, listen. About last night...I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have-" Raven started, but found herself being cut off by Anya's finger pressed against her lips.

"Shh, don't worry about it," Anya said, leaning over and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "I understand. You don't want to be cooped up, and that's fine. I'd just prefer it if you stayed out of trouble."

"Hey, with that whole warehouse to use, I won't be patrolling the streets for a while."

They chatted for a little bit before making their way towards the dance floor, leaving Clarke and Lexa alone. Lincoln had gone off to tend to some other customers.

"So, you guys are friends with Octavia?"

Clarke nodded. "We knew each other from college, even though we went down very different paths. We've always stayed in touch. Octavia was supposed to be our third roommate until she decided to move in with Lincoln, which worked out in our favor since the two bedroom was much cheaper than the three."

Lexa laughed. Clarke couldn't help but stare. Everything Lexa did took over her head and rooted itself deep into her brain as if it was the last memory she would have of her.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to check on Anya and Raven to make sure everything's staying PG on the floor," Lexa winked and stood, finishing what she had left of her drink and walking away.

Clarke turned back towards the bar, finding Lincoln standing behind the bar.

"So, from what O's told me, Raven said you've been flirting with Miss CEO over there," he said with a smirk.

"Shut up. I need something strong," she said, sliding her glass back towards him.

"How strong?" He asked before receiving a glare from the blonde. He quickly mixed up a drink for her and slid it back to her. She gulped down half before stopping.

"God, what is in this?" She said, making a face as she was hit by a wall of alcohol.

"You wanted strong princess," he said. She shrugged, finishing the rest while making a face. "Another."

"I would slow down there," Lincoln said, looking at her with a worried look.

"Lincoln, I have a pair of green eyes burrowing into my mind that won't leave at all, and I need them to leave for a little bit. Now, get me another please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late upload, I almost forgot to do this!
> 
> Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think
> 
> Also, I did not plan to have the first chapter with Linctavia come out the day after 309. I'm sorry. Reshop Lincoln
> 
> -ADCT


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke wanted to forget about those green eyes, but what happens when those green eyes have to take care of her?

Clarke should have stopped after the first one of whatever Lincoln gave her. She didn't realize how much her head would be spinning after drinking the second. She had been at the bar for maybe thirty minutes but it felt like she had been drinking for hours. 

"Hey Clarke, you feeling okay?" She could hear Lincoln ask. He sounded very far away though he was right behind her. 

She nodded, but the force caused her to slip off the stool and stumble quickly. "I'm feeling great," she said, grinning. She hadn't noticed that Lexa had returned in the meantime. 

"Lincoln, what happened? I was gone for twenty minutes talking to people and I come back to find this?" 

"She drank a bit too much Lex. Someone should take her home." 

"I'll take her back to my place. Someone should watch her overnight," Lexa said while sliding Clarke's arm over her shoulders. "I'll text Anya, but if you see them, tell them where we are." 

He nodded. "Make sure she's alright." 

Lexa nodded in return, then coaxed Clarke out the door to where Gustus was waiting with the car. 

"Gustus, I need you to take us back to my apartment, then come back and wait for Anya." 

"Of course, Miss Woods," he said, opening the car door. Lexa slid a giggling Clarke into the backseat and climbed in next to her. Clarke shifted in the seat and ended up leaning over onto Lexa's lap. 

"Clarke, I need you to sit up and strap yourself in," Lexa said, gently propping the girl up in the seat. 

"But you're so comfy," she slurred, slouching again. Lexa sighed and leaned over, reaching around Clarke and grabbing the seatbelt. She took Clarke's arm and put in through the belt before buckling it in.  

"Can you do that again? I liked having your boobs in my face," Clarke giggled. Lexa turned a few shades of red before buckling herself in. Gustus started the car and started the ride back to Lexa's apartment. She pulled out her phone and shot a quick text to Anya explaining where they were going.  

"Whatcha doing?" Clarke asked, leaning over again. 

"Taking you home before anything bad happens. Do you always drink like this?" 

"Nope, but if it means you'll take me home at the end of the night, I'd do it every day." 

"Flattering, but please don't," Lexa smiled. "I'd rather you stay sober enough that we can talk like normal people." 

"Psh, normal people are overrated," Clarke said, waving at Lexa but losing her balance in the seat and falling on Lexa. She quickly propped her back up, keeping a hand on her shoulder. Clarke grabbed her hand and began intertwining their fingers. 

Gustus pulled up in front of the building and got out, opening Clarke's door. Lexa opened her own door and came around the side, grabbing Clarke and helping her inside. She propped her up in the elevator and hit the button, watching the doors slide close. She was startled by Clarke wrapping her arms around her, hugging her tightly. 

"Lexa, I love you." 

"Clarke, are you feeling okay?" 

"I'm perfectly fine. But I love you. All I think about is you, like, all the time. And I started dreaming about you, and daydreaming about you, and-" 

"Clarke, stop. You're drunk. We need to get you to bed." The doors slid open and Lexa helped Clarke out, unlocking the door and turning on the lights. 

"Here, you can sleep in my bed tonight," Lexa said, leading Clarke down the hall. She flipped on the lights and helped Clarke over to the bed. Kneeling down, she began to pull off Clarke's heels. 

"Only if you sleep with me," Clarke giggled, booping Lexa on the nose. She stood up. 

"Let me get you some water," Lexa said as she walked out into the kitchen. She grabbed a few water bottles and a glass before walking back in. She poured one of the bottles into the glass before forcing it into Clarke's hand. 

"Drink," she said, placing the other bottles down on the bedside table. Clarke began sipping the water, but stopped. 

"Do you know how pretty you are?" She said. Lexa blushed again. 

"Clarke-" 

"I cannot stop thinking about you. Your eyes are ingrained into my brain and I love it." 

Lexa stood there, then turned and walked towards the door. "Finish that glass, then you can go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning." 

She shut the light off and closed the door behind her. Once she heard the door latch, Lexa leaned up against the wall, breathing heavily. 

She couldn't let these feelings get the best of her. She couldn't hurt like that again. 

~ 

Clarke awoke to a pain in her head that she had never felt before. 

 _Am I dying?_ was her first thought. 

 _Where am I? w_ as the second. 

Wherever she was, it was still slightly dark. She looked up and saw the canopy of leaves above her. She couldn't have gone too far from the club, but why was she in a forest? 

She rolled over, squinting around the area. She could see trees, but also a table. _Why is there a table?_ Then it hit her. Lexa's room. 

She sat up quickly and turned, expecting to see the girl next to her. Lexa wasn't there, but Clarke was greeted by a splitting headache and a bout of nausea that caused her to get out of bed and stumble towards the bathroom. Luckily the door was open and no one was in there as Clarke found her way to the toilet and heaved whatever was left in her stomach into the bowl. 

Once she had managed to quell the retching, she sat back and flushed the toilet, wiping her mouth with a tissue. Glancing over, she finally noticed Lexa leaning in the doorframe, wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. 

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Clarke rasped, her throat hurting from her early morning activities. 

"I was already awake. I just came to make sure you were alright." 

Clarke looked at the toilet. "I think I am now." 

Lexa walked in and helped Clarke up off the floor. "It's still pretty early, why don't you take some Advil and go back to bed?" 

"Don't you have to go to work soon?" Clarke asked. 

Lexa chuckled. "It's Saturday." 

She grabbed the Advil from the medicine cabinet before helping Clarke back to the bedroom. Popping off the cap, she poured two into her hand and handed them to Clarke before grabbing another water bottle and pouring it into the glass. 

"Thank you," Clarke said, swallowing the pills with a sip of water. She slowly laid back down as Lexa pulled the blankets up over her, before heading back out into the living room. Clarke looked over the clock on the bedside table. It read 4:30 am. 

She sighed and closed her eyes, feeling bad about waking up Lexa on her day off. She didn't stay awake long, though, as the Advil helped her headache subside and she fell asleep. 

~ 

Clarke awoke several hours later to some wonderful smells wafting throughout the apartment. Remembering her early morning adventure, she slowly sat up, feeling relieved that the nausea had not returned. She silently stood up and walked out of the room, intending on using the bathroom before exploring, but she was stopped quickly by the sight in the living room. 

The sun had already risen and was shining through the large windows, but Clarke was watching it shine off Lexa's back. The couches had been pushed out of the way and a mat had been laid out on the floor. From what Clarke could see, Lexa had been exercising for some time now as she watched the sweat drip off her and onto the floor. She apparently did not hear Clarke as she did not stop in the middle of her push-up set. She had her earbuds in, music blaring loud enough that Clarke could hear it. 

Clarke couldn't move from the spot she was in. Her gaze was fixed upon the muscles pulled taught on Lexa's back, the way her arms flexed every time she moved. Her feet were rooted to the floor until Lexa stood up. Quickly, Clarke made her way into the bathroom and quickly shut the door leaning up against it, breathing heavily. _Shit_ , she thought. Clarke felt too warm. She decided to just splash some water on her face and go out to face Lexa. 

When she opened the bathroom door, Lexa was no longer in the living room. Clarke rounded the corner and saw Lexa at the stove, cooking something that smelled delicious. 

"Mm," Clarke said, causing Lexa to turn. She smiled when she saw the blonde sit at the island. 

"I heard you in the bathroom, and it sounded like everything stayed down this time, so I thought you'd be hungry. I cooked it all before, but just heating it up again," she said as she slid the contents of the pan onto a plate and placed it in front of Clarke. Clarke quickly grabbed the fork net to her and began to eat the eggs in front of her. She had no clue what Lexa put in them, some veggies and what looked like bacon, but she loved it. Lexa herself went over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of a disgustingly-green drink. 

"What is that?" Clarke asked through a mouthful of food. 

"Smoothie. Mostly kale. It's great after a workout in the morning. Want some?" She asked, holding the bottle out towards Clarke. 

"I'm sorry, but something that green color should not be put in someone's body," Clarke said after swallowing. Lexa laughed and took a long swig out of the bottle. Clarke made a face at her, which she responded to with another laugh. 

"Once you're done, if you'd like, you can borrow some of my sweats to change into. We're probably the same size." 

"Alright, I'll go change now then," Clarke said, standing up. 

"In the second drawer of the dresser." 

Clarke nodded as she walked down the hallway and back into the bedroom. She quickly rid herself of the dress from last night and opened the drawer. Inside were several pairs of sweatpants and white t-shirts, exactly like the ones Lexa had been wearing last night. She grabbed what she needed and got dressed, returning to the kitchen. Lexa had just finished washing the dishes and turned, wiping her hands on a towel. 

"I'm going to shower quickly if that's okay with you," she said, placing the towel down on the counter before heading back into her room. Clarke found herself alone all of a sudden, where her thoughts could take over. 

 _I'm in too deep. There's no going back now_ _._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked this chapter guys, just saying ;)
> 
> Also, thank you guys so so so so so much for all the kudos and comments. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside knowing that you guys really like this.
> 
> I'm also running into a problem because I've so far only written up through chapter 12, so I may slow down how often I post only because I have two exams the early part of this upcoming week so I'm going to focus on those first, but as always I will post on tumblr when a new chapter is posted.
> 
> Yet again, drop your feelings down below :)
> 
> -ADCT


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **QUICK NOTE** This chapter is happening simultaneously with the end of chapter 9 and the beginning of chapter 10. Just a little FYI
> 
> First Lexa and Clarke leave, now Raven goes missing? What's Anya going to do?

Anya was starting to get worried. After Lexa had texted her saying that Clarke had gotten wasted and she was going to take her home, she told Raven, who proceeded to freak out and run off to find Octavia. After that, she had not seen her girlfriend for the rest of the night. 

"Lincoln," she called out as she approached the bar. 

"What's up?" He asked, pouring drinks for a couple at the bar. 

"Have you seen Raven? I can't find her." 

"I think O said she was leaving. Don't know where she went though." 

She nodded and left. Gustus was outside waiting for her. 

"Miss Woods, did you hear from your sister?" 

"Yes thank you. It's time for me to head home though." 

He nodded and opened the door for her, closing it after she got in. Anya pulled out her phone, hoping that Raven had finally texted her back, but there was no response. She unlocked it just in case, but she saw that the text hadn't even been read yet. 

 _Where could she be?_ She wondered as she nervously watched the city pass around her. Raven never just up and disappeared like this, it was completely out of character for her, even as a street vandal. She would text Anya when she was heading out to have some fun so that she knew, but even now she had no clue where she could be. 

Gustus pulled up in front of Anya's building and parked in front. Anya hopped out quickly and made her way over to the garage, getting in her car. She had only had one drink that night, thankfully, so there were no side effects to be heard of at this point. 

She quickly pulled out onto the street, heading in the direction of Raven's apartment. That would be the first place to check. Anya hoped that Raven had just gone home and crashed after all the dancing they did. Pulling up, she looked around and saw Raven's car. The doorman recognized Anya and unlocked the door from behind the counter. Usually she would just nod to him and head upstairs, but tonight she walked straight over to the desk. 

"Have you seen Raven walk in tonight?" She asked. Luckily, this doorman knew all of the residents by names and faces. 

"Haven't seen her. I know she left with Clarke a while ago, but she hasn't come back since then." 

Anya sighed and ran a hand down her face before heading back outside and climbing in the car. Where else could she have gone? Octavia was still at the club, so there was no way Raven was at her house. The garage was closed now, so she wasn't there. Anya ran through every place she could've been. 

Then it hit her. She leaned forward and hit her head on the steering wheel for being so stupid. The warehouse. There was no doubt that Raven went there. Why hadn't she thought of that first? 

Anya practically sped across the city to the warehouse, feeling a wave of relief come over her. She could see the lights on inside the warehouse as she parked and got out. She fished the key out of her jacket pocket and unlocked the door, stepping inside and looking around. 

Apparently Raven had done some work during her free time today. There were strings of lights strung up around the old catwalks. Anya could see a few sets of clothes on the table, including Raven's dress draped over one of the chairs. Carefully, she walked around the warehouse, searching for where her girlfriend could be holed up working. 

She did not find Raven on the first pass through, but she did find what Raven had been working on. One of the old doors where supply trucks were unloaded was completely covered in a coating of white paint for the background of a scene which was common to both of their memories. 

The table they had been sitting at during this week's date night was along the bottom, and Anya could see the glasses and dishes on it. She herself, in the picture, was looking down at her meal, cutting something with a knife. The most amazing part of the scene was Raven herself. She was wearing the same dress, hair done up in the same fashion, but she sat with her head in her hand, longingly gazing at Anya. It was only a painting, but she could feel the amount of love conveyed in it. A smile had spread across her face, looking at every little detail Raven had put in. And to think that she wasn't the artist in her apartment. 

Turning, Anya found Raven passed out on the couch, a little bit of spray paint on her cheek. The green streak looked like she had touched part of the painting on the door then wiped something off her face. It smudged a thin line down her cheek. 

The touch of paint made Anya smile. Raven's enthusiasm bowled her down sometimes. She took off her jacket and carefully folded it in two to drape it over a chair. She unclasped her cuff-links and left them in a little bowl on the table before going and getting a blanket to cover Raven with. She took her time removing the rest of her suit and placing it safely off the ground before getting under the blanket with Raven, curling around her gently so as not to wake her. 

Raven woke up anyway, but kept her eyes closed because she loved little moments like these. Little moments like when Anya nuzzled against the back of her neck with the cutest little snuffles.  

When she heard Anya’s breathing change Raven knew she was asleep, so she turned around carefully and curled up against her chest. Even when Anya was asleep her body is on a kind of autopilot, her arms adjusting to Raven’s shift without her waking.  

She could wait until morning to talk to Anya. Right now, Raven just wanted to feel the warmth and love of the arms around her 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I NEED TO WRITE MORE CHAPTERS
> 
> I have one more chapter prewritten, but after that I may have to take a day off from posting to catch up.
> 
> But yeah, again, let me know what you think!
> 
> -ADCT
> 
> UPDATE: I am not posting a chapter today (4/4 or 4/5 or 4/6) because I need to write more, so I'll post one tomorrow (4/7) and then hopefully catch up on some writing  
> UPDATE: I am so sorry guys :( I'll definitely post tomorrow and try to write some tomorrow as well so that we can get back on track


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa hang out after Clarke's drunken shenanigans

Clarke had decided to spend the morning at Lexa's apartment, since she was already there and there was no use in going back to a probably empty apartment. She had helped herself to the coffee maker in the kitchen while Lexa had been in the shower and currently sat curled up on one end of the couch, sipping coffee out of the white mug she found in the cabinets. The world outside the window was already wide awake, as Clarke could hear the traffic driving by on the street. 

Lexa joined her after the shower, wearing the same t-shirt and sweats pair she wore to bed. 

"Look, we're twins," Clarke joked, eliciting a smile from Lexa as she braided her hair. 

"Style twins, maybe not so much in terms of physical features." 

Clarke smiled and took another sip of coffee. "Thank you, for last night. You didn't have to do any of the stuff you did." 

"Nonsense. You were in rough shape and needed some help. I didn't want you staying alone in case something happened." 

Clarke nodded, finishing the coffee and placing the mug down on a coaster on the table. 

"You know, caffeine will not help that hangover," she nodded towards the mug. 

"You know, I'm pretty much a bitch unless I have my morning coffee," Clarke responded, earning another smile from Lexa. She gazed out the window and Clarke watched her, noticing how relaxed she was. 

Clarke didn't notice until now, but she could finally see the tattoo that made it's way up Lexa's arm. It was some sort of tribal design, with sweeping lines and points. It wrapped around the outside of her arm and extended up probably over her shoulder. 

"Nice tattoo, now that I can finally see it," Clarke pointed out. Lexa turned back towards her and looked down at her arm. 

"Oh, yeah. Forgot about that," she smiled, looking back at Clarke. 

"How can you? It's huge." 

Lexa just shrugged and curled herself up on the chair. She went back to staring out the window. Clarke cleared her throat. 

"Did that tattoo have something to do with Costia?" 

Lexa looked at her, puzzled. "Why?" 

"You seem hesitant to talk about her or anything related to her. I just thought maybe she had something to do with that." 

Again, Lexa looked back out the window. Clarke could hear her breathe in deeply. 

"It's been rough. I thought we were perfect together. Apparently she didn't feel the same." 

Clarke stood and walked over, sitting on the arm of Lexa's chair. 

"I know how you feel. My ex was the same way." 

Lexa looked up at her. "How?" 

"Finn and I were a great team. We had been together since sophomore year of college. After graduation, things started changing. He thought that I should have made a different career choice. He said that he made all the money for us and I spent it all. It wasn't true, but he was too angry to see that. He started going out with other girls, slept with a few of them too, before I cut him out. I couldn't stand it anymore." 

"Oh," she could hear Lexa say. Now Clarke was the tense one, staring out the window with her jaw clenched. She felt a soft hand on her arm and looked down, seeing Lexa look up at her. 

"But look at you now. You're successful and don't care about what has already happen. From what I've seen, you've moved on quite well," she sighed. "I can't." 

"Lexa, sometimes it takes a while to repair those broken parts inside you. It may take days or weeks, or it may take months, even years. You just have to find what will help you move on and stick to it. Mine was my art. Finn thought it was nice as a hobby but not a career. I still wake up every day and go back to work, though, because I want to show him that he was wrong." 

Even with the poetic words, Lexa sat in still silence, her face stoic. 

"And look at how successful you are too. I mean, youngest CEO at Trikru ever? You doubled the worth of the company in such a short time, and you're not stopping. I can't even fathom what else you have planned. I'm only semi-successful. I can't get anyone to buy any of my works lately, and I'm losing money fast. I can’t even make any new pieces that would good on my own wall, nevermind in a museum somewhere. I truly am failing now." 

Lexa stood up and turned so she was facing Clarke. "Don't ever say that. Your works are beautiful. I was thinking...I may want to buy one. Not because you just said you can't sell them, but because the first time I was in your apartment I saw them and they're beautiful. That one I was looking at? The night scene?" 

"With the light on? Yeah. I painted that one night, pretty late. I was sitting on the couch and looked out the window and saw one little light on in the distance, so I decided to paint it." 

"That's my office, Clarke. I was probably staying late to finish a proposal, and you saw it off in the distance. That building is Trikru." 

Clarke looked up at her, puzzled. Was it really? She had no clue where the building was located or what it looked like or anything about it, really. It was only by chance that she saw the light and decided to replicate it on canvas. 

"The fact you were still staring at me before we met is beautiful to me." 

Clarke smiled, not knowing whether Lexa implied the cockiness in her tone or not. Either way she appreciated the comment. 

"Me as well." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry guys, 2 reasons.
> 
> 1) this chapter was SUPER late because I've had a lot going on right now
> 
> 2) This is the last chapter I have prewritten so the next chapter will not be posted until I write it...which may not be until the middle/end of next week.
> 
> But still, thanks for waiting so long. I'll write another as soon as I can
> 
> -ADCT


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's flash-forward a bit now...
> 
> Lexa's financial adviser questions her intentions with how much she's been spending on dates...I mean, meals with friends...
> 
> Anya's trying to help her out...
> 
> Smol bean Lexa gets angry...

A few weeks had passed since the nightclub incident.  Lexa had gone out with Clarke several more times, but things felt different between them. Or at least Lexa thought they felt different. She seemed easier around the blonde, which made their times together much more enjoyable. 

Those times occurred much more often now. Whenever the two of them were free they found each other somewhere: a little café on the corner, a coffee shop downtown, even  restaurant for a nice lunch. Whether they were really dates or not was not something they worried about. It was more just reveling in the company of each other whenever they could. 

Lexa had not felt more relaxed in as long as she could remember. She was sure it was just being around Clarke that made her feel calm, but couldn't place exactly what it was. Of course, that was all before the meeting with the financial advisor she and Anya were required to attend. Their father had set them up with his advisor when they had taken over their respective positions in order help them manage their lives. 

"So I went over all of the expenses from the past few months. In terms of the company and museum, everything seems in order," Titus explained, laying out paperwork on the table in the boardroom. Lexa squinted across the table, figuring that by the time this meeting ended, she would have gone blind from the sun reflecting off of the bald head in front of her. She just got out of a rough meeting and was giving up what would have normally been lunch with Clarke in order to have this meeting. Anya was sitting next to her, looking less than pleased at being in the room as well. 

"Now in terms of personal expenses," Titus continued, "Anya, yours seem to be in order. All of the budgets holding up? Any adjustments you need to make?" 

"Not that I know of. Everything's fine," she sighed, running a hand over her face. She loved these meetings just about as much as Lexa did. 

"Lexa, we need to talk about yours though. Over the past month your personal expenditures have jumped more than normal. Most of these receipts are coming from food purchases. Any idea where these are coming from?" 

Lexa shrugged. "I've been spending time with friends, that's all. A few restaurant bills are nothing." She practically had to elbow Anya when she chuckled under her breath. 

"Yeah, Clarke's a _friend_  alright." 

"How many times do you and this...Clarke go out? I have a receipt from almost every day of the week, some of them twice a day. Are you throwing money into this girl?" 

"Why does it matter to you how I spend my personal finances Titus? I'm not using company money so everything's fine." 

"You need to watch what you're spending on her. If she's just a friend, then this must be a very expensive friend with how many times you buy-" 

Lexa stood quickly, bringing both fists slamming down onto the table. "I am more than capable of separating my personal life from my professional one!" 

Titus took a step back. The anger in Lexa's eyes was apparent. Something he said had poked a nerve inside her and pushed her over the edge. He quickly collected up his papers and slid them back inside his briefcase. 

"I'll have the office call to set up our next appointment. Just please, watch out." 

He left the boardroom in quite a hurry, making his way to the elevator. Lexa flopped back into her chair, her hands sliding down over her face. 

"Lexa...hey, listen to me." Anya had turned the chair so she was facing the girl, a hand placed on her knee. Lexa pulled her hand away and looked over at her. 

"Listen, I know there's something there between you and Clarke. Why can't you just admit it?" 

"There's nothing there Anya. We're just friends, that's it." Lexa was not in the mood to have this conversation right now. Personally, she would have rather went down the hall and back to her office to relax after the meeting. 

"What do you mean there's nothing there? Why are you lying to yourself? We can all see what’s going on, I'm just trying to help." 

"Anya, no offense, but I don't need help." 

"But that's the thing, you do need help. You're still hurting over Costia, and I know you love Clarke, but you're afraid to open up again because you think everything will be exactly the same as last time and you don't want to get hurt like that again. I can tell you that won't happen with Clarke" 

"Again, no offense, but this is none of your business. I just don't want anything serious right now, that's all." 

Anya looked her over, then let her hand slide off Lexa's knee as she stood. 

"Whatever you tell yourself to sleep at night." 

Lexa watched as Anya threw her jacket back over her shoulders and leave the room. It was partially true. After Costia she really didn't want any serious relationships, but something about Clarke had changed that. She couldn’t help but wonder why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, from now on I'm gonna try to post once a week-ish until school ends, and then hopefully I'll be able to do twice a week.
> 
> This one's a bit shorter again, sorry guys, but hey: at least I updates :)
> 
> Thanks for the patience. Keep leaving me comments, I love reading them :)
> 
> -ADCT
> 
>  
> 
> EDIT 5/17: Well...uh...yeah...
> 
> I've been pretty busy with school. This week is finals. I'll be done Wednesday.
> 
> I ha e half of the next chapter written. My goal is to post it before I move out on the 20th. After that I hope to finish this fic before I start working at camp.
> 
> I'm sorry guys I know I'm terrible but thanks for sticking around if you have. I promise I'll be more consistent once school's done.
> 
> -ADCT


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke finally convinces Lexa to go to one of her favorite restaurants so Clarke can foot the bill for once...
> 
> A major cliffhanger at the end of this chapter...

It had been a few weeks since the meeting with Titus. Lexa had ignored everything that Titus had told her and was still spending on Clarke. Their normal routine continued; they would meet up for lunch occasionally, go out to dinner at least once a week, and grabbed coffee almost every day. Clarke had spent some more time at Lexa's apartment, even helping her hang up a specific painting of the city skyline in her living room. 

Every time they had gone out, Lexa had picked up the bill. It was nice, and it meant that Clarke got to enjoy some of the finer places around the city, but eventually she just got annoyed by it. She didn't want Lexa spending everything on her, and personally, she felt embarrassed about never paying. That's why, on this particular Friday, Clarke argued her way with Lexa. 

"Please Lex, can we go somewhere where I can pay this time?" She pleaded, trying to use her charm. 

"Clarke," she groaned. Once Clarke had come up with the nickname she had kept using it to try and get her way on arguments. 

"Just once Lex. I promise. Next week you can take me wherever you'd like, but let's just go somewhere else tonight." 

"What did you have in mind?" Lexa was reclined back on Clarke's couch, water bottle in hand. Her jacket was draped over the coat rack, sleeves rolled up to above her elbows. She had forgone the three-piece today for a more relaxed look- well, relaxed for Lexa look. 

"There's a burger joint downtown I wanted to take you to. I used to go there all the time with Raven and O, but I haven't been there in ages and I'm dying to go." 

"Burgers?" Lexa made a face at the mention of anything not green or lean meat. 

"Oh come on. I don't think one burger will rip that six-pack off your abs." Clarke began poking her stomach, causing Lexa to laugh and swat her hands away. 

"Fine, but only once." 

Clarke squealed and hugged the girl. "You won't regret it, I promise." 

"My digestive system might," Lexa chuckled, standing up off the couch. "You'll have to direct me to this place. Even though you're picking, I'm still driving." 

Clarke jumped up and grabbed her own jacket off the coat rack, tossing Lexa hers. "It'll be easy. C'mon." 

~ 

Once they had arrived and ordered food (under Lexa's protest, which included how nothing on this menu _didn't_ have any grease), the two began casual conversations as usual. The diner was once an actual diner, but kept its nostalgic feel. Clarke and Lexa were seated at the counter while a few others were seated around at tables. They were just talking, laughing, enjoying each other's company. Until the food arrived. 

"Mm, I haven't had this in ages!" Clarke rubbed her hands together while surveying the mound in front of her. Lexa saw the burger squished somewhere between bacon and cheese and donuts for buns. 

"Do you hate yourself? How can you even put that in your body?" Lexa made a face, looking at her own small burger. Even that was enough to make her stomach turn. 

"Listen, Miss Kale-Smoothies-for-Breakfast, this burger right here has gotten me through the high and low points of life." Clarke took a bite of the behemoth, glaze from the donuts coating her lips. Lexa just shook her head and rolled up her sleeves again, picking up her own burger. She took a careful bite and chewed, eventually swallowing. 

"See? I can eat things too," she joked, quickly gulping down a sip of water to try and wash the grease out of her mouth.  

"I am watching painfully," Clarke chuckled, wiping her mouth. Lexa put the burger back down on the plate and picked up a french fry, eating that instead. These fries weren't too greasy, so she could probably stomach those. 

"Come on, just eat it. One night away from your grilled meats and salads won't kill you, I promise." Clarke didn't know what was more fun-eating her own burger or making fun of Lexa for not eating hers. 

"I'll do as much as my stomach can handle. I haven't eaten anything this greasy since I was twelve." Lexa picked up the burger again and took another bite, this one a bit larger. She chewed for a while, but this bite went down much easier. 

"See? You're doing better already," Clarke laughed, finishing off the rest of her burger before moving onto the fries. 

"So how many times have you eaten here anyways?" Lexa tried to get a conversation going so Clarke wouldn't notice how she pushed the burger off to the side. It wasn't that she didn't like it, just that the grease would probably make her insides explode. 

"Back in college, Raven, O and I would always come here. Whether it was late night after a party or during finals, there's always something here to pick you up, even if it's just a milkshake." Clarke shrugged as she put two more fries in her mouth and chewed on them. Lexa finished off her fries soon after that. 

"The real question is, if you ate her so often, how are you still so thin?" Lexa took one more bite of burger before placing it back down and throwing her napkin over it on the plate. Clarke only laughed at her. 

"I'm proud of you, you made it through half the burger," Clarke laughed again. Lexa made a face. 

"When you swear off of greasy food as long as I have, it hurts to eat it again. Besides, I need to keep this body in shape with the way you like to look at it." 

Clarke's face turned almost as red as the slice of tomato sticking out from Lexa's half-eaten burger. Lexa smiled as she turned back towards the counter while the cook came over and cleared the plate. 

"Are we ready to pay and head out or do you want dessert?" Lexa glanced over at Clarke who was beginning to compose herself. 

"Uh, no. No, I think we're good." Clarke pulled out her wallet and threw some cash down on the counter next to the bill. She stood up and threw her jacket back on as Lexa rolled her sleeves back down and buttoned the cuffs again before walking outside and holding the door for Clarke. As the two of them walked down the street to where the car was parked, Lexa cleared her throat. 

"So, Clarke, I was wondering...well, this might sound weird but...what are we?" 

"What do you mean?" 

Lexa looked up to find blue eyes staring back into her green ones. She knew this was going to be an awkward conversation, but she felt like they needed to talk about this. 

"I mean, we go out to lunch quite often. Dinner at least once a week. What is this? Are we..." The last word stuck in Lexa's throat as her mind flashed back to her memories of Costia. 

"Dating?" Clarke finished the thought then looked straight ahead, stopping at the car. "I mean, I really don't know. I like hanging out with you, and I think we can admit there's something here between us." 

Lexa opened Clarke's door and allowed her to get settled in the car before closing it and getting in on her side. She started up the car as both girls buckled in and, checking her rearview mirror carefully, pulled out onto the street in the direction of Clarke's apartment. 

"I never really considered what this was until a few weeks ago." Lexa tapped her fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the soft jazz in the background. 

"Something special happened then?" 

Lexa smiled as she saw the light up ahead turn green. "Nothing important unless you want me to talk about my crabby bald financial adviser that thinks I live my life wrong." 

As they pulled through the intersection, Lexa smiled at Clarke's laugh, but as she looked over at the blonde's face, all she could see were the headlights barreling into the side of her car. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, few things:
> 
> 1\. I have been EXTREMELY busy with school which is why I have not updated in a while. For those of you that have hung on, thank you so much.  
> 2\. Tomorrow morning (Wednesday 5/18) is my last final so after that I will be FREE.  
> 3\. Hopefully I will be updating this AT LEAST once a week once I'm home for the summer.  
> 4\. (shameless self promotion) A friend (FindingSide) and I have a Commander Mechanic smut/angst piece that we're writing through RP-style messages. Go check it out. It's called "Let There Be Spaces In Your Togetherness." (even if you don't like Lexaven or Clanya try it out and see)
> 
> I think that's it. Again, thanks for hanging on. Drop a comment, let me know what you guys think.
> 
> -ADCT


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE CLIFFHANGER FROM LAST CHAPTER!!
> 
> Will our favorite couple be okay?

Lexa had only one thought as her eyes blinked open. 

 _Clarke_. 

She could hear the sirens blaring around them. There was someone talking to her as well. It sounded like a man. 

"Miss Woods? Miss Woods can you hear me?" 

Lexa groaned as her eyes blinked open. She was laying on the pavement, vision swirling around her. The man talking to her was a paramedic who had opened his bag and pulled out...something. Lexa tried sitting up, but the man put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Miss Woods, please. Let me help you. You hit your head pretty hard." 

"Clarke..." Lexa blinked as the world around her continued spinning. She could see the blonde on a stretcher being loaded into the back of an ambulance with a few paramedics around her. That was all she managed to see before her vision faded to black. 

~ 

 _Clarke_. 

The name invaded her thoughts again as she blinked open her eyes once more. Now she was in a room. It was dark in there, but she could see sunlight streaming in through a crack in the curtains. She glanced around, seeing the machines and IV around her. _Must be in the hospital,_ she thought as an older woman in a lab coat stepping into the room. 

"Ah, Miss Woods, glad to see you're awake," she smiled as she walked to the side of the bed. "My name is Dr Griffin. Do you remember what happened?" 

 _Griffin? As in related to Clarke Griffin?_ Lexa cleared her throat. "There was an accident...some guy rammed into the side of my car." 

"Alright good. The airbags took most of the damage, but you did manage to hit your head. A few stitches closed up the wound but from what it looks like you most likely have a minor concussion and possibly whiplash. You'll probably be a bit sore too. We'll probably keep you here a few days and then send you home with pain medication and instructions." 

Lexa nodded, closing her eyes. 

"Also, you have a couple guests. Would you like me to send them in?" 

"Uh...yeah, sure." Lexa adjusted herself in bed as Dr Griffin walked out and waved them in. Anya came rushing into the room followed by Raven. 

"Oh dear God, Lexa...what happened? I got a call saying there was an accident and we rushed over as soon as we could. They wouldn't let us in last night because you were still out cold but-" Anya paused to take in a breath and Raven put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Some guy smashed into us...wait, where's Clarke? Is she okay?" Lexa tried to sit up more but fell back against the bed when a wave of nausea hit. 

"Easy there. From what they've told me, Clarke's okay. She's pretty banged up though. Lucky for you, her mom is your doc. Abby's one of the best in the area." Raven pulled a chair over for Anya, who sat next to the bed. 

"That's her mom? Oh shit..." Lexa relaxed back as Anya grabbed her hand. 

"Listen, don’t worry about that alright? I'm just glad you're okay," Anya sighed and looked down at the floor. Lexa could guess that she was trying to hide the tears. She gently squeezed her hand. 

"Let's look at the bright side. Because I didn't wear a vest yesterday, at least I didn't get any blood on it," Lexa chuckled. Anya looked up with a smile, though Lexa could still see the tears that had already welled up. 

"Just rest for now, alright? We're probably going to head home soon unless Clarke wakes up, but we'll come back and visit tomorrow alright?" 

"Alright An. Go rest yourself alright? Not going to lie right now, you look like shit without sleep." Lexa had noticed the bags under her eyes when she had walked in. Anya just chuckled at her response. 

"Fine, we'll go then. I brought you some casual clothes, hope you don't mind. If you really want, I can stop by your place to pick up your usual outfit for when you leave." 

Lexa nodded. "We can talk about that tomorrow, alright. Raven, make sure she sleeps, alright?" 

Raven fake saluted her, laughing. "Yes ma'am." 

Anya stood, squeezing Lexa's hand one more time before she and Raven headed out the door. Lexa sighed and tried to think back to the accident, but her eyes had other ideas as she fell back asleep. 

~ 

Lexa blinked awake again, head pounding, to find a nurse next to her bed. 

"Ah, Miss Woods, good morning. Sleep well?" 

"Morning?" Lexa thought it was the afternoon. 

"You slept through almost all of yesterday. Dr Griffin sent me here to remove your IV and give you some food if you're hungry." 

Right on cue, Lexa's stomach growled in agreement. She could see the tray of food placed in front of her. It was a normal array of hospital food, but included a familiar green smoothie. The nurse followed her eyes and chuckled. 

"Yeah, usually you would only get the pancakes and such, but you've done so much for the hospital that one of the ladies downstairs whipped you up a kale smoothie. At least, we hope that interview in GQ is still correct." 

Lexa chuckled, nodding. "Yes, thank you." 

The nurse finished what she was doing and placed a piece of gauze and tape over the crook of Lexa's arm. "There's some pain medication in the little cup on the tray as well as a bit of water. Need anything else?" 

"Actually, yeah. I was wondering if I could find out the room number for another patient. She was in the same accident as I was." 

"Oh, you mean Abby's kid? Yeah, she's down the hall, room 311 I believe. I don't think she's woken up yet though." 

"That's fine, thank you." 

The nurse nodded before she left the room. Lexa reached over and took the pills, swallowing them before gulping down the water. She picked up the bottle on the tray and the scrap of paper underneath it. She read the note from the cafeteria and smiled as the workers thanked her for the donations and efforts to improve the hospital overall. She took a few sips of the green drink before swinging her legs over the side of the bed and slowly sitting up. She wasn't as dizzy as she had been yesterday, but she could still feel her brain swimming. Her muscles ached as she stood and shuffled over to the corner where she could see a small dufflebag. Inside were the clothes Anya promised- a white t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. 

Lexa felt better as she changed out of the gown and into her normal clothes. She would have preferred her own slippers but the hospital ones were fine for now. She could see what was left of her own clothing in the corner. Her shirt and pants were gone, probably because of the blood, but her shoes, belt, and tie were all near the table. A bin was on the table and Lexa could see her wallet and keys inside there. Her phone was most likely there too, since it had been in her pocket. 

Shuffling out of the room and into the hall, Lexa squinted at the bright lights. She could see she was in room 317, so she made her way down the hall until she reached 311. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside. 

Clarke was still asleep on the bed, but didn't look as bad as Lexa thought. The right side of her face was cut up, probably from the glass of the window. A large gash on her forehead had been stitched up. Other small cuts and bruises covered her arms. Lexa could see a large cast on Clarke's leg. She hadn't thought about what could've happened, especially since the car had hit her door. Lexa pulled the chair over and sat next to Clarke, taking her hand as Anya had done to her yesterday. Tears welled up in her eyes. 

"I'm sorry Clarke," she whispered, watching the blonde's chest rise and fall with every breath. "I'm sorry I couldn't have done something. I'm sorry I couldn't have kept you from getting hurt. I'm sorry tha-" 

"Miss Woods?" 

Lexa jumped at the mention of her name and turned, seeing Abby in the doorway. 

"Oh Dr Griffin! I, uh, I just wanted to check on Clarke, you know...to make sure she was alright..." 

Abby raised an eyebrow. "That leads to my question. Why was my daughter in your car?" 

"Oh, well...um..." Lexa swallowed thickly, not sure why she was nervous. "You see, we met at my sister's gallery opening, and I guess you could say we've become friends since then, and, uh...well, we hang out quite a bit, and we went to get dinner last night..." 

"Lexa." 

She jumped slightly again, this time at the sound of her first name. Abby was watching her, but not glaring or sneering or anything else Lexa expected. 

"Are you two...?" 

"I-I'm not sure. We were talking about it last night before..." 

Abby nodded. "Well alright. We can talk more once Clarke wakes up. As for you, I don't want you wandering around the hospital all day. Head back to your room and get some rest." 

"I will soon, if you don't mind." 

Abby looked her over again, then nodded and left the room. 

 _Well that's one way to meet the parent..._ Lexa thought as she turned her attention back toward Clarke, her green eyes scanning the girl's face. What she would give to see those blue eyes again... 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOOK I UPDATED AGAIN!
> 
> Hopefully I can actually do this once or twice a week now!  
> Leave your comments down below. Come talk to me on tumblr @iamalexarkslut  
> -ADCT


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting the Parent was awkward, especially when you aren't even dating...or are you?
> 
> And how awkward is it for the child?

Lexa stayed in Clarke's room the entire day, only leaving when nurses forced her to go back to her room for the night (to which she thought she put up a good fight since they threatened to call Dr. Griffin and security). It took her too long to fall asleep, her mind wandering back to Clarke laying in the bed down the hall. She contemplated sneaking out but knew that someone would find her eventually.

She woke up, not even realizing that she fell into a dreamless sleep the night before. Light was streaming through the blinds again as she glanced at the clock. 11:28. _Shit,_ Lexa thought. She had slept through the morning. Sitting up carefully, she turned when she heard a knock at the door. One of the nurses stepped in holding a towel and some small bottles.

"Dr. Griffin asked me to bring these to you, in case you wanted to shower."

Lexa nodded, standing up slowly and taking the items. "Thanks."

The nurse closed the door as she left, leaving Lexa alone again. She made her way into the bathroom and showered quickly before pulling a clean set of clothes from her bag and sliding the slippers back on. Taking a quick glance out the door, Lexa slipped out into the hallway and padded down the white tiles, turning into room 311 and immediately meeting an open pair of blue eyes that made her stop in the doorway.

"Clarke..."

Clarke smiled, clearing her throat before calling out a raspy "Lexa..."

Lexa walked over and pulled the chair to the bedside, sitting down and taking Clarke's hand in hers absentmindedly. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore...what happened? We were in the car..."

"Someone rammed us...I'm so sorry, there was nothing I could do..." Lexa could feel the tears begin to sting at the back of her eyeballs.

"Lex, it's okay. I'm fine...well, mostly fine." Clarke chuckled, squeezing the brunette's hand.

"No, it's not." Lexa sighed as her thumb ran itself over Clarke's knuckles. "I couldn’t bear to lose you too, Clarke, especially since I've never told you how I feel about you. From that first moment in the museum I knew you were the one, even more so than Costia. I was drawn to you, and nothing could pull me away."

"Lexa..." Clarke started, squeezing her hand. She watched Lexa carefully before chuckling. "Am I really talking to CEO Alexandria Woods or did someone replace her with a sappier version?"

Lexa could feel her face blush. "Shut up," she muttered, pulling her hand away. "You definitely have changed me, Clarke, I cannot deny that."

Clarke opened her mouth to respond before looking up to see her mother rushing in through the door.

"Oh my God, Clarke. I just heard you were- oh, Lexa. Good to see you again."

Lexa stood up. "Here, I was just leaving Dr. Griffin."

"Lexa, wait." Clarke caught her hand again. Lexa turned and smiled at her.

"I'll come back later, okay? I promise." Lexa squeezed her hand one last time before slipping out past Abby, who shut the door behind her.

"Clarke...how are you feeling?" Abby walked over and sat in Lexa's chair, looking over her daughter.

"I'm fine mom, don't worry. How bad was it?"

"Not as bad as it could've been. Quite a few lacerations, broken leg too. But you're alive."

“Thankfully. Lexa told me the bare minimum of what happened.” Clarke looked over at her mother, waiting for an update she didn’t actually get.

“Ah, yes. Lexa. I wanted to talk about that.” Abby folded her hands in her lap and leaned back in the chair. “I feel like the first question I should be asking is why my daughter was in a car with the CEO of Trikru Industries.”

“Well, uh…it’s not what you’re thinking mom,” Clarke nervously blurted. “We met at the art gallery opening, the one where Raven’s piece was showcased? We started talking and I guess we just became friends. That’s it.”

“That’s not what I saw when Lexa was in here. Or what I heard either. Are you sure there’s nothing more going on?”

“I’m sure, I mean…I don’t know. I don’t know what we are or what this is or if it’s anything more-” Clarke paused to take a breath as Abby put her hand on the blanket.

“Clarke, relax. I’m not interrogating you. I just want to make sure everything’s alright. I still want to be kept in the loop about these things. I just wish you had told me sooner.”

“What is there to say?” Clarke shrugged, looking over at Abby. “I have no clue where we stand on this whole thing. I didn’t even know what Lexa was feeling about all this until today, but apparently she cares more than I thought she did.”

“Then maybe you should talk to her at some point about all this. Find out how she’s feeling, but more importantly, figure out how _you’re_ feeling. Make sure this is something you really want.”

Clarke nodded, looking down at the blanket as she heard her mother’s pager go off. Abby stood from the chair and gave once last glance toward Clarke. “Think about it,” she said as she exited the room and hurried off down the hallway.

Very soon after Abby had left the room, Lexa walked back in and sat down. Clarke knew that she should talk with Lexa about the things her mom had mentioned, but decided against it. Instead, she gave a small smile and turned back toward Lexa. “So, how has the hospital been treating you?”

“I’ll be out of here soon thank God. My back is killing me from sleeping in these beds and I miss my own room.” Lexa looked back up at Clarke, locking onto her blue eyes. “Hopefully you’ll be out soon too.”

“Yeah, I know my mom will try to get me out of here as soon as possible. And then I’ll have to figure out the whole crutches thing.”

“I’ll help you with whatever you need Clarke. It’s the least I can offer.” Lexa placed a hand on top of Clarke’s. “None of this would have happened if you weren’t in my car-“

“Lexa, stop.” Clarke shook her head. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for what happened. It isn’t your fault.”

Lexa nodded, looking down at the ground between her feet.

“Listen, we’ll get through this and then everything goes back to normal.”

“Well…except my car.” Lexa chuckled slightly, but then saw the nervous expression on Clarke’s face. “Don’t worry. Yes, it’s totaled now, but I can get another one. Insurance will actually cover most of it, so I won’t be paying too much out of pocket.”

“That does make me feel a little bit better.” Clarke finished her sentence and then yawned, stretching her arms above her head.

“Here, take a nap. You need to rest up.” Lexa pulled the blanket up a bit more on Clarke as the girl snuggled down against the pillows. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so:
> 
> 1\. I'm finally working past the writer's block, slowly but surely  
> 2\. My plan is to try and finish this fic within the next couple weeks. According to my notes, I have 5 chapters plus an epilogue planned (not including this chapter here)  
> 3\. If you have stuck around through this shitty long hiatus thank you so much. Life sucks, work sucks, school sucks, everything is getting in the way (if anyone else is going to school for engineering you'll know my pain)
> 
> Thanks guys  
> -ADCT


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WOO SLEEPOVER! (aka Abby is a worried mother, Clarke wants to be free, and Lexa feels guilty about the crash)

"Clarke, you cannot be on your own in your condition." 

Clarke huffed and rolled her eyes at her mother again, sitting on the edge of the bed. The doctor had just cleared her to finally go home, almost two weeks after the accident, and now her mother was trying to convince her to go back home with her. 

"Mom, please. It's a broken leg, I've managed with one before. Raven said the apartment was stocked before she left with Anya so I'll be okay until she gets back." Clarke grabbed the crutches from next to her bed, standing slowly and getting adjusted to her new situation. 

"How do you expect to get home? There's no car here and you can't drive with a broken leg." Abby was currently situated between Clarke and the door, arms crossed as she continued to argue with her daughter. Clarke's condition was still bad enough that Abby was uncomfortable leaving her by herself. 

"I can call a cab, it's not that hard." Clarke slowly made her way over to her mother, standing in front of her. "I'm okay mom, I can get home." 

Both women stopped and looked toward the doorway when they heard a throat clearing. Even if Lexa had forgotten what room Clarke was in, she could hear the argument as soon as she had stepped out of the elevator. She had been released a few days after the accident but had stopped in to see Clarke whenever she could get the time. 

"Sorry for the interruption, but I could always drive Clarke home," Lexa offered, standing in the doorway and glancing between the two. It looked like she had just gotten off of work, her tie loosened around her neck and the top button of her shirt undone, sleeves rolled up above her elbows. 

"See mom? Perfect solution. Lexa can drop me off at home." Clarke smiled, her mother turning back to her. 

"Clarke, I really don't think you should be staying alone right now." 

"I agree," Lexa added, stepping into the room. "Anya went cross-country on a business trip and told me to stay and rest, so she brought Raven along. It's not a good idea for you to stay by yourself right now." 

"Then where am I supposed to go?" Clarke tried to motion with her hands, but one of the crutches almost dropped. She barely caught it before it fell out of reach while Lexa just shook her head. 

"I have a spare room if you'd like to stay at my place. I can take a few days off to spend with you so you don't have to worry about too much." 

"I really just want to go home to my own bed. I'm sick of this hospital." Clarke sighed and let her head roll back against her shoulders, already tired from how long she had been standing. 

"Then let me stay with you, just until Raven gets home. I can sleep on the couch for a few days." Lexa took a few steps around Abby, placing a hand on Clarke's shoulder and squeezing slightly. "Please, it's the least I can do to make up for all this." 

"Lexa, please. You know none of this is your fault-" Clarke was abruptly cut off by her mother coming up to the two of them. 

"That sounds like a great idea! Thank you so much, Lexa. I just don't want Clarke to be alone right now." Abby smiled at the two of them as she slowly ushered them out the door and toward the elevator. Clarke rolled her eyes but sighed in defeat. 

"Fine. Lexa will stay with me for a few days, but once Raven is back I'll be fine." Clarke slowly followed Lexa to the elevator, Lexa holding the doors open for her. Clarke gave a quick wave to her mom as the doors closed and the elevator descended down to ground floor. 

"How are you feeling?" Lexa leaned against the railing and looked over at Clarke. Seeing her up and out of the hospital made her feel slightly better, but she couldn't stop the guilt gnawing at her stomach. 

"Better than a few weeks ago. Once the leg heals up I'll be good as new." Clarke slowly made her way out of the elevator and through the lobby of the hospital, stopping as she stepped outside. "Uh, I'm guessing you have a new car..." 

"Rental, for now." Lexa motioned to one of the spots near the front of the lot, with a red sedan parked there. "Thankfully we settled everything with the insurance company and the other driver. Once everything is finalized I'll get the replacement." 

"So what happened exactly?" Clarke waited as Lexa opened her door and then took the crutches and put them in the backseat. 

"The other car's brakes failed. Poor guy realized it as he was coming down the hill toward the light and couldn't hit the horn in time. Both cars totaled, unfortunately." Lexa started up the car and started to pull out of the lot and onto the street. "Because of that, insurance is covering both car plus the medical bills, except yours. He did offer to pay yours as some compensation." 

Clarke nodded as Lexa drove down the streets toward her apartment, though she could see the hesitation as Lexa pulled into each intersection. Finally, they arrived at the apartment and Lexa pulled in on the street. She quickly climbed out and opened Clarke's door, handing her the crutches. 

"Do you need to go home to get anything? You should probably pack a bag if you're staying here a few days." Clarke pulled out her keys and looked up to see Lexa closing the trunk, duffle bag in hand. 

"I expected to be staying with you, so I packed one already in case you wanted to stay here instead. Are you going to be okay on the stairs?"  

It took them almost twenty minutes to climb the two sets of stairs but eventually Clarke was situated on the couch, Lexa heading into the kitchen to get something for dinner. Clarke heard the scoffs from the kitchen and smiled. "You going to be okay without your kale smoothies while you're here?" 

"Do you two even know what a vegetable is? My god, your fridge looks like one I expect to find in a college dorm." Lexa pulled out a few things then went on a search to find a pan, intent on making something healthy for dinner. Clarke could only laugh as she turned and watched Lexa from the couch. 

After dinner was done and the dishes all washed, Lexa had made sure Clarke was okay to shower (with a fashionable plastic bag around the cast on her leg since the hospital couldn't waterproof the cast) and get into bed. 

"Just remember, if you need anything I'm in the living room. Even if it's just water or something." Lexa helped balance the crutches against the wall as Clarke pulled the blankets up around her. She nodded and looked back over at Lexa who was walking toward the doorway, hand ready to flip the light switch. 

"Actually Lexa," Clarke started, rubbing the back of her neck, "you don't have to stay on the couch if you don't want to. This bed's big enough for two." 

Lexa stopped and looked back toward the bed, her face slightly flushed by the offer. "Clarke, you don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine on the couch." 

"The couch is lumpy and uncomfortable. You'll never be able to sleep out there. Please, I insist." Clarke patted the bed next to her, watching Lexa's reactions. 

Lexa stopped for a moment and thought about it, then walked back into the living room. A few minutes later, she walked back in wearing her sweats and a t-shirt before flipping the light off and blindly making her way to the other side of the bed, climbing in under the blankets. She was careful not to get too close to Clarke, allowing her as much space as needed. 

Clarke finally snuggled down into the pillows, exhausted from actually moving around during the day. Right before she drifted off, she managed to mumble out a "Night Lex..." 

Lexa laid awake for a bit longer, guilt still eating away inside her. She knew everything would be alright, but couldn't stop the fears popping up in her head as she finally fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so...my plan of finishing before the end of 2016 failed. Oh well.
> 
> I'm not going to try and make a plan because I can never stick to it, but hopefully I can finish this up in the next couple months.
> 
> Thanks for sticking around guys. Don't worry, your patience will be rewarded.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day one of Lexa the caretaker and things get personal

The next morning found Clarke being awoken to the sound -and smell- of one of her favorite breakfast foods. 

 _Bacon_ _._  

Clarke jumped up, legs swinging over the edge of the bed, blankets flying off and onto the ground. She was ready to jump up and run off into the kitchen before she remembered the clunky cast currently on her leg. She scowled as Lexa walked into the room with a tray. 

"Nice to see you're awake. You didn't even move when I got up earlier." Lexa set the tray down on the side table, a plate piled with bacon and eggs on it accompanied by a mug of coffee. Her hair was still damp from showering earlier but she was still wearing the t-shirt and sweats from last night. 

"Slept well then. Nice to be back in my own bed. How'd you sleep?" Clarke picked up the plate and took a bite. 

"Okay. Wasn't my own bed but I was fine with the circumstances." Lexa walked back around to the other side of the bed and sat back against the headboard. "Once you finish breakfast we can get you situated in the living room on the couch." 

Clarke nodded, her mouth full of bacon. The food at the hospital had been...well, okay for hospital food. This food tasted better than ever though. She managed to swallow what she was chewing and turn back toward Lexa. "Did you have breakfast? Or better yet, did you bring a portable kale smoothie?" 

Lexa chuckled and shook her head. "If I miss it for a few days it won't kill me. Though I will admit, you and Raven really need to learn how to shop for vegetables and not junk." 

Clarke finished off the orange juice and stood, carefully hopping over to the crutches. "We can worry about that when I'm not crippled okay? For now I can just stick with my bacon diet." 

Lexa got up quickly and helped Clarke with the crutches, grabbing the tray and following her into the living room. Clarke flopped down on the couch, dropping the crutches to the side and laying out along the length of the couch while Lexa went to rinse the dishes in the kitchen. A few minutes later, Lexa came back into the living room, seeing Clarke flipping through channels on the TV. She carefully lifted Clarke's feet and sat down on the other end of the couch, letting Clarke's feet rest on her leg. 

Most of the day was lazy, watching TV and making fun of soap operas. Eventually the two of them ended up cuddled together on the couch, Lexa scrolling through photos on her phone, showing Clarke her days back in college. The two of them were laughing at a photo before Lexa swiped to the next one and went silent. Clarke looked down, seeing a photo of a smiling Lexa, piggybacking a blonde who was taking the photo. Clarke recognized the face from the photo in Lexa's bedroom. Costia. 

"I thought I had gotten rid of all these." Lexa looked at the photo and swallowed, not moving to delete the photo. 

"What happened with her?" Clarke's voice was gentle, not wanting to push if Lexa didn't want to talk. 

"Well, I thought everything was great between us. We met when I started my master's degree at Harvard. She was still in her undergraduate classes but was taking a few master's classes with me. We did a few projects together and started dating near the end of that semester. Fast forward, I graduated early, she graduated a year later. I already had my job lined up at Trikru Industries, and then she was hired there as well. We got this apartment together and everything was going perfectly. Then I noticed she started getting quieter and more reserved. I just thought she was stressed with work. She told me that she had to go away on a business trip overseas. She was gone for a week, then two...then we got the letter." Lexa had turned her phone off and put it on the coffee table, hands clasped together in her lap. "It came from Azgeda Corporation. It was a resignation letter. They basically wrote it for her. 'To whom it may concern: Due to a recent opening in Azgeda Corporation, we regret to inform you that Miss Verne will no longer be returning to Trikru Industries.' She had signed it, but I knew it wasn't her. Of course, I had already taken over Trikru, so the letter came to me. I only remember sending the letter to records so they could update files. I got an email later that week. 'Pack up my stuff and drop it off at my parents' house.' That's it. No 'I'm sorry' or any explanation." Lexa sighed and sat forward, head hanging down, shoulders slumped. "I always thought Azgeda took her to try and get Trikru's secrets. That's what I told myself to get over it. I told myself I couldn't hurt like that again. That was the only time there was a slump in company profits under me. It's been up from there." 

Clarke had sat and listened to the entire story, her arm wrapped around Lexa's shoulders. She had never seen the woman look so defeated. "Hey...I'm not going to say it's okay, because that's not okay, but look at you now. This whole situation is awful, but look at who it made you. You are _you_ because of it." 

"But who am I? Someone who hides behind work to avoid feelings?" Lexa turned and looked at Clarke, the doubt clear on her face. 

"Maybe you just need to surround yourself with people who can help you find those feelings again." Clarke nodded, a small smile peeking through on her face. 

Lexa thought for a second, then nodded and stood up. "I'm going to make something for lunch quickly." She turned toward the kitchen and walked over, leaning against the counter, Clarke's words ringing in her ear. 

If only Clarke knew that Lexa had found that person. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm truly surprised I updated twice this week. Hopefully I can finish this up soon for all of you.


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